SDHSL Smartass
by AnotherStatsGuy
Summary: AU: In which Naegi doesn't get knocked out by Oowada's punch, but is merely dazed. And the character development takes over from there. (Currently Naezono due to story's development) Are you ready to have your emotions ping-pong like your canon experience? Author's Notes contain information. *REFERENCES ABOUND. ON HIATUS UNTIL I'VE PLAYED V3'S NA RELEASE:
1. Pop Fly

SDHSL Smartass: AU: (In which Naegi doesn't get knocked out by Oowada's punch in Chapter 1)

"_Oh shit! Sorry, man. I lost my temper. But I gotta say, kid, you're a durable one. Not many people remain conscious after I punch them. Intentiationally or not."_ Oowada said.  
_"That doesn't surprise me, given what we just learned. But all the same, that hurt. My brain feels like rattling inside my skull."_ Makoto Naegi said.  
_"Maybe you do have some luck after all. Must make up for a lack of skill in life."_ Togami commented.  
_"What?"_  
_"Unlike the rest of us who got here on a combination of talent and hard work, you got lucky. Nothing more."_  
Celeste Ludenberg strutted forward. "_As the SDHS Gambler, let me speak from experience. People may be born with an inherent quantity and quality of luck, but it can still be manipulated somewhat. Luck can be every bit of a skill as the next ability. And in my experience, luck can be manufactured. A clever enough person can create their own luck. And in this place, sometimes a little luck can make all the difference in the world."_  
_"Manufactured luck? Maybe in your lifestyle. But in general? How absurd. The best rise to the top, always."_  
_"That may come back to bite you later."_ Celeste called to Togami as he walked out of the gymnasium. _"Haven't you ever heard of an upset?" _  
_"The usage of a Xanatos Gambit."_ Naegi commented.  
_"A Xanatos Gambit?" _Celeste replied.  
_"You know, a maneuver where no matter the outcome it benefits the user. Haven't you ever been on Tvtropes ?"_  
_"I'm sorry, Naegi. I've never actually heard that term before. But it's a good one. I'll keep it in mind."_  
_"Now that that crisis has been averted, what do we do now?"_ Yamada queued the group.  
_"I-i-t-it's obvious, isn't it?"_ Fukawa replied. "_We look for a way out."_  
_"I doubt it's going to be that easy."_ Fujisaki said.  
_"Still, we must try."_ Maizono said.  
_"Yes, of course, we must try."_ Kirigiri said. _"But I doubt very much that we're just going to get be able find the exit and leave."_  
_"This isn't going to be easy."_ Enoshima pointed out.  
_"But where's the fun in something if it's too easy?_" Leon replied.  
_"Says the baseball star who never goes to practice."_ Asahina said.  
_"Okay, how about this? How about we split up into various groups?"_ Celeste suggested.  
_"That seems good enough."_ Oogami replied._ "We just need to make sure everybody searches."_  
_"Naegi, are you going to be alright?"_ Maizono asked Naegi.  
_"Yeah, I'll be fine. I just need stop the ringing in my ears."_  
_"You might have a concussion._" Fujisaki said.  
. Enoshima walked up and studied Naegi.  
" _You don't have a concussion. You'd already be vomiting all over Sayaka if you did._  
_"Uhhh, how did you know so much about concussions, Enoshima?"_ Naegi's eyes widened. His classmates were getting more and more strange. But he supposed that this situation was making them act more serious than they normally would have.  
_"I'll tell you later."_  
_"Fair enough."_  
_"However, you should probably go and get some rest now."_  
_"What?"_  
_"That was a meaty punch by Oowada, we're going to need everyone at full strength. I assume there's going to be some beds somewhere. Somebody should accompany you._  
_"But I can still help!"_  
_"See, you're already starting to stumble. Leon, why don't you help Naegi find his room?"_  
Kirigiri's eyes narrowed, something seemed off about this Enoshima. She'd have to keep an eye out on her.  
_"I'll take him."_ Maizono volunteered.  
_"Nobody has to accompany me anywhere."_ Naegi protested. _"I'll find my room on my own._"  
_"Stubbornly independent as ever."_  
Now it was Maizono's turn to be suspicious.  
**_What was going on? This wasn't how she projected Naegi to be from their brief interactions in middle school. She had developed the ability to read people pretty well. It was something she had picked up from her idol career where if you took a single misstep and you were considered over. And those words 'As Ever'? That made it sound like Enoshima and Naegi had history together. But Naegi had indicated to her in the moments leading up to Monokuma's appearance that she was the only person Naegi actually knew. Does this mean they had an encounter and Naegi forgot whereas Enoshima remembered? She decided to try and get a read on Enoshima._**  
"_Naegi, I'll be back for you later. In meantime, get some rest."_ Maizono shot Naegi her million smile.  
_"I guess I don't have a much choice in the matter."_ Naegi grumbled.  
_"Come on."_ Leon said, putting Naegi's arm over his shoulder. _"Let's find your room",_ he said as the two semi-stumbled out of the gymnaisum.  
Naegi could hear Ishimaru's voice ringing through the gymnasium.  
"_Alright, troops, let's move out."_  
_"Ooohhh, stoppp with the hardline military attitude."_ Fukawa protested.  
Meanwhile, Maizono was determined to figure out Enoshima's connection to Naegi, and the best way to do this was while the two were investigating. After all, if the two were stuck in here for a long period of time, she would have plenty of time to figure out the rest of them.  
"_So Enoshima, do you think anybody would seriously murder someone else in here?"_  
_"I can't say for sure."_  
After a brief moment...  
"_Cut the crap, Maizono. We both know why you decided to search with me."_  
_"Alright, what's your connection to Naegi? It seems like the two of you have met before."_  
_"Why? Are you in love with him?"_  
_"So what if I am?"_  
_"That may come back to bite you."_  
_"Explain to me how caring for the one peer whose ever treated me as a person could ever backfire."_  
_"The nature of this game."_  
_"We'll see."_  
_"Yes, we will see."_  
_"Now I have a question for you, Maizono."_  
_"What is it?"_  
_"You claimed that Naegi is the only peer whose ever treated you as a person. Explain."_  
_"Well, you should know what it's like when people treat you as a means to end."_  
_"Yes, I should. But I get the feeling our experiences in this matter are severely different. So go on."_  
_"Hmmm, throughout middle school, it was day after day of boys hitting on me, trying to be my boyfriend. Trying to win my affections. It was girl after girl trying to become my best friend to become relevant. It was teacher after teacher allowing me to cheat on tests and bend the rules so that I could become their favorite teacher."_  
_"Is that so?"_  
_"Yes, they all had the same objective. To get me to actually care about them so that they might become famous by proxy."_  
_"And Naegi?"_  
_"Naegi treated me like a girl. With feelings. Who should have control over her own life."_  
_"I see."_  
_"I saw it."_  
_"Saw what?"_  
_"In his eyes. Every time a boy hit on me, every time a girl tried to sidle up to me. Every time a teacher gave me the green light to break the rules."_  
_"What did you see?"_  
_"The question. 'Why are all of you doing this? Can't you see she doesn't want to be around you? So why do you people continue to bother her?"_  
_"Okay, Maizono, but couldn't you just have been applying context where there wasn't any?"  
"What do you mean?"_  
_"I mean, did the two of you ever have a full conservation?"_  
_"Not for a lack of trying."_  
Leon and Naegi made it to Naegi's room.  
"_Oh, crap. It's locked."_  
_"Not to worry, here are the room keys for the two of your rooms."_ Monokuma said.  
_"Thanks, Monokuma!"_ Leon said. Naegi silently snarked at his idiot moment and lack of awareness.  
_"Wait, Monokuma! Go away."_  
Monokuma chuckled.  
_"If it's going to keep going like this, I might not actually want to see any deaths at all. Uupppuuuu."_  
_"Huh?"_  
And at this moment, Naegi realized something very important as the door opened and he staggered to his bed.  
_"You good to go?"_  
_"Yeah."_  
_"Hey, before I go, I have one question for you, Naegi."_  
_"Yeah, what is it?"_  
_"What's your history with Maizono?"_  
_"Why?"_  
_"I got a look at her face right after Oowada punched you, and well, she looked like she was going to go right over to Oowada and knock his lights out."_  
_"What? Maizono? That doesn't seem in character for her."_  
_"Yeah, man, I never thought that a pop idol could appear so scary. And if she looks pissed enough to take on the outlaw biker for your sake, you must be really important to her."_  
_"So that's why you're asking about our history?"_  
_"Yeah."_  
_"There's not much to it. We went to the same middle school, we were in different classes. I hardly ever spoke to her."_  
_"Then why do you think she cares so much for you?"_  
_"Huh?"_  
_"Let's just say I've met my fair share of obsessed girls. Maizono had the same look in her eyes. That look of_ '**_This guy is mine. And as long as we could still get together, I'll maim or even kill any possible reasons _****_preventing us from becoming a couple._**"  
_"Seriously? What did I do?"_  
_"Did you treat her any differently than the other guys in your grade?"_  
_"I suppose not. I never really cared about her career that much. I mean, I knew of it. But I never really went around trying to get into her good graces."_  
_"So you were saying you were just your standard nice guy?"_  
_"Yeah, I'd like to think so."_  
_"Well, there's the answer."_  
_"What?"_  
_"You treated her normally. My guess is the rest of the guys who paid her any attention were always trying to get into her good graces. Become famous by proxy. They were never interested in her for her. There were interested in her for her wealth and fame and connections."_  
_"What?"_  
_"Yeah, so it makes sense that she would like the guy who legitimately treated her as a person, not a vehicle for stardom."_  
_"So you're saying that being nice actually won the affections of the attractive girl? How about that."_  
Leon chuckled. _"Apparently so. The cliche has been broken."_  
_"I think that's a first."_  
_"Yeah... she'll end up being your girlfriend if you're not careful."_  
_"What do you mean?"_  
_"What I mean is this, if the two of you enter into a relationship, it should be on equal terms. She shouldn't force you into it."_  
_"If you say so."_  
_"You don't believe me, do you?"_  
_"Not really."_  
_"I see. You're just the plain guy, aren't you? Not used to having the attractive girl's affections?"_  
_"I guess you could say that. I'm just an ordinary, average guy. There's not much to me."_  
_"I don't know, man. No matter what the prick says, you've certainly given off the impression that there's a hellvua lot more to you than just some luck."_  
_"I'll take your word for it."_  
_"Alright, I'm going to go help the others search for a way out. You really should get some rest."_  
Naegi's eyelids agreed with that statement.

\- AUTHOR NOTE: Please go ahead and leave a review or recommend this to fellow fans. I want to hear the reactions from readers.


	2. Mind you, it's 4

Chapter 2:

Sometime later, Naegi awoke. The time on the analog clock in his room said 3:51, he assumed that it was accurate to the minute and that the clock had not been messed with. Since he was assuming that the morning activities had started a little after 8 AM, he guessed he had ended up in bed by around 9 AM. His head was still pounding, but he had to find the others. He reflected on something else. A realization that Monokuma had unknowingly given him.  
**"_If it's going to keep like this, I might not actually want to see any deaths at all. Uupppuuuu."  
_**It meant he could draw several conclusions about whoever was operating Monokuma. If say, Naegi had been killed by Oowada's punch, the first domino would fall, and judging from Maizono's reactions, (which he would have never guessed if Leon hadn't told him), she would have probably attempted to kill Oowada in retaliation right then and there. This would have had two possible reactions.

a. Either it would have devolved into a free-for-all slugfest

b. the whole situation would have insured that nobody would have murdered no matter what incentive Monokuma might present.

2\. This mastermind didn't want a free-for-all slugfest with the strongest brute winning. They wanted a meta-game that favored a rather methodical and primarily stragetical-aimed approach. Naegi's injuries from Oowada were actually the best situation for the mastermind. He was considered 'crippled' but still alive, which meant he could still interact with his classmates. In theory, he now made the easiest target to be picked off. Everybody had seen his physical limits. There was now an obvious target for people to lock onto ... Assuming of course, Maizono wasn't there and ready to counter-murder. (Huh, counter-murder, that's not a word that ordinarily makes sense, unless you're like a yakuza or something.)

3\. The most likely people to engage this sort of meta-game were Togami, Celes, Fukawa, and perhaps Kirigiri. He'd have to keep his eyes on them, especially Kirigiri. That girl didn't give anything way, not even her ability.

_"Wait, since when am I so analytical about people? I guess it must be the seriousness of this situation. And I did nearly get my lights punched out."_  
He grabbed his room key and sauntered out.  
_"Naegi!" _Maizono had found him, and she was accompanied by Enoshima of all people._ "Oh, you're alright."_  
_"I see the two of you searched together. How was it?"_  
_"Eh. We didn't find a way out. If we had, you would have woken up outside with Maizono the first thing you saw. I actually had to keep Maizono from dragging me back to your room sooner."_  
_"Is that so?"_  
_"Yeah."_  
. Naegi thought about what Leon said. He wasn't opposed to a relationship with Maizono, in fact, he probably liked her more than he cared to admit given the circumstances, but he was resolved to do it on his terms. No matter how hard she tried, Maizono wasn't going to strongarm him into it. The relationship wouldn't have been healthy otherwise.  
. That part wasn't going to be easy. He knew that Maizono pretty much could have had any guy except Togami in his school (and maybe some of the girls too), and yet she had chosen him. Why? Leon's words had seemed enough at face-value but as he stared into her blue irises, it wasn't enough of an explanation. The answer was more complex than that.  
_"Hey, Enoshima, where's everybody else?"_  
_"Asleep."_  
_"Asleep?! But it's only 3:51!"_  
_"Shhshh, Naegi, it's 3:51 in the morning."_  
_"The hell?"_  
_"Yeah, did you just assume PM?"_  
_"Well, kinda."_  
_"The clocks here are analog. So they only show in twelve hour increments."_  
_"Oh, man. So what am I supposed to do now? I was kinda hoping to be filled in with what I missed."_  
_"Yeah. I think you'll have to wait on that." _Maizono said.  
_"No duh."_  
_"Okay. I think I'm just going to go back to bed, it's almost 4 in the morning. Hey, wait a minute..."_  
_"What, Naegi?"_  
_"Guys, have you heard of the 4 in the morning phenomenon?" _Naegi queued Enoshima.  
_"What? What phenomenon happens at 4 in the morning? And more importantly, where did you get this information?"_  
_"The internet. From an online video that I discovered from this guy. I'll find and link you the video after this is all over. I just know a lot of stuff happens at 4 in the morning, and it's a world-wide internet phenomenon._  
Enoshima looked totally perplexed.  
_"Like when?"_  
_"Well, in Yugioh GX Abridged, the first line ever in the series involves making pancake helicopters at four in the morning."_  
_"Naegi, you dolt. What does that have to do with our current situation?"_ Maizono face-faulted.  
_"Well, it is four in the morning. And now that I think about it, what were two even doing? Were you guys giving everything a twi-_  
_"We thought it would be prudent to give everything a twice-over."_ Maizono said."  
_"No, be honest. YOU thought it would be prudent to give everything a twice-over. I just accompanied you." _Enoshima replied.  
Suddenly, a tamed Monokuma appeared. He looked ready to torment.  
_"You should have seen them, Naegi. They were lezzing it up!"_  
Maizono was beet-red, and Enoshima's left eye was twitching out of annoyance. She desperately wanted to kick Monokuma in the face.  
_"What sparsely-updated abridged series did you pull that one from, Monokuma?" _Naegi retorted.  
_"Ooh, quick tongue there, Naegi. That one was pretty good. I have to admit." _Monokuma said._ "I too am a practioner of internet abridged ser-"_  
_"Save your breath, Monokuma, I don't particularly care." _Naegi interjected.  
_"Damn, you just aren't leaving me any openings, are you? You're no fun, Naegi. No fun at all."_  
_"No, I'm not. And I don't plan to."_  
_"Monokuma, why are you here?" _Maizono started._ "There's nothing going on."_  
_"Can I wish that wasn't the case? Oh, yeah, I came by to give Naegi instructions on how to open his bathroom door."_  
_"Really, what's wrong with it?"  
"It's misaligned. You have to push up on the handle while simultaneously pushing forward in order to open it."  
"I see. Thank you. Now if you're going to obnoxious, be gone."_  
_"You can't just spirit me away, Naegi." _Monokuma chuckled._ "I leave when I want to. I appear when I want to."_  
_"Yeah, but that doesn't mean we have to enjoy your presence."_  
_"But you totally should. After all, I'm a bear-y enjoyable bear."_  
_"Bear puns, really?"_  
_"Hey, what's wrong with bear puns?"_  
_"Bears puns are right up there with bee puns as some of the most laziest jokes of all time. Most of them are un'bear'able."_  
_"Really. Really? Seriously? Weren't you just saying-?"_  
_"That's the joke, stupid."_  
_"Huh. I still like them, and nothing you say will change that."_  
_"Of course you like them! Big surprise, you're a robotic teddy bear with machinations. You should at least try to be original in your humor. It's boring."_  
_"A 'robotic teddy bear with machinations'?"_  
_"Yeah, because behind of all of this, your operator is scheming its next move."_  
_"Okay, I'll admit, that one was halfway decent." _Enoshima conceded.  
_"Halfway decent? I made a joke about the scheming nature of a robot! How often does that get to work, Enoshima?"_  
_"Naegi, I'm not that big on puns."_  
_"You just don't appreciate the punchline."_  
_"Eh-oh!" _Maizono interjected.  
_"Really, Naegi. You criticize me for making 'bear' puns, and yet you're making puns off of the word 'pun' itself." _Monokuma pointed out.  
_"I pull no punches with my humor."_  
Maizono groaned_. "Naegi, that was so cringe-worthy I can't even..."_  
_"How about bear-y sub par instead, Maizono?" _Monokuma suggested.  
_"No, that's even worse."_  
_"Well, you know what, it's been fun. I look forward to future interactions."_  
_"No, it really hasn't. And I don't. Now, go away, you crazy little psycho." _Naegi replied indifferently.  
_"You're a lot sharper with your tongue than what I remember." _Maizono remarked._ "When did this happen?"_  
_"Well, it's been accentuated ever since Oowada punched me."_  
_"Naegi, I can't believe I'm saying this, but that actually seemed a little cruel to Monokuma." _Enoshima commented as Monokuma walked away dejectedly.  
_"He's a psychotic robotic teddy bear with the ability to sneak in like a bona-fide ninja that's trying to get us to murder each other. Would you be saying your comment if he was a ninja pirate zombie robot instead?"_  
_"That's not what I meant."_  
_"Is it even possible to have a zombie robot? Let alone one that's a ninja pirate?" _Maizono wondered._ "I mean, seriously. A zombie robot? What even is that? A sentient robot that's built out of components from other, older robots?"_  
_"I guess so." _Naegi answered.  
_"Hey, guys. Are we seriously having a philsophical discussion about how to create zombie robots at 4 in the morning?"_ Enoshima commented.  
_"Well, it's more 4:30 now."_  
_"Oh, I give up! I don't know about you two, but I'm going back to bed now. I expect the population to remain sixteen when I wake up tomorrow."_  
_"Enoshima, we're not going to murder each other."_  
Maizono facepalmed. That wasn't what Enoshima meant.  
_"Maizono, I have a question."  
__"Yes, Naegi, what is it?"  
__"Why do you think the fifteen of us were put into this situation? Aside from our connection, nobody else here knew each other personally before today."  
__"I wish I knew."  
__"It's strange. If we could just figure out the reason why, it might aid us in our escape."  
__"Us?"  
__"All of us."  
__"I see. Is there anything on your mind?"  
__"Yeah. For starters, why is this mastermind hiding behind a robotic teddy bear? Why not show its face directly? I mean, beyond the initial shock factor, it's not practical. What if it breaks down in front of us, and Fujisaki gets a chance to dissect it?"  
__"Maybe the mastermind is scared that Oowada or Sakura would attack it if it showed itself directly?"  
__"Hmmm, maybe that's the upfront reason/built-in excuse. But I think it's more subtle than that, it's a countermeasure to being read. There are several people here who can read people very well and facial expressions are a large component for allowing people to read you. By operating through a mechanical liason, it gives itself the upper hand in dealings."  
__"Naegi, what are you saying?"  
__"I'm saying to look at our lineup. You're a pop idol. You have to be able to read a crowd. Togami's a rich heir. He has to read people for agressive negoiations. Celeste is a gambler. That's part of the job description. And despite not revealing her talent, Kirigiri has all the makings of a detective.__  
__"Yeah. It makes sense. But Naegi...?"  
__"Yes, Maizono?"  
__"I'm tired."  
__"Should I accompany you back to your door?"  
__"If you want to. It's not going to take that long."  
__"So which way is it?"  
__"Turn around_."  
There was Maizono's room, right next to his.  
_"Well, I'll be. Someone must have known about our past ahead of time in order to set us up."  
__"I'll see you later, Naegi."  
_Maizono chuckled and glomped Naegi before going into her room.  
_"Phew, she's in bed now. So what do I do? Everybody else is asleep."  
_A moment later, the realization hit him.  
_"Wait, everybody else is asleep. I think it's time for me to familarize myself with this school. I didn't expect to do this solo, but now as good as time as any. It will mean I'm not behind later today."  
_Standing there alone for a moment, he pondered what he should explore first. Eventually, he decided to just walk ahead and see what he could find.  
"_First, I'll poke around the dorm rooms and see what I can find."_

\- AUTHOR NOTE: Please go ahead and leave a review or recommend this to fellow fans. I want to hear the reactions from readers.


	3. Exploration! Pocketing Gear and Coin!

(Note: I had a map of the 1st Floor of Hope's Peak Academy open this whole time to make sure I was writing it correctly.)

Chapter 3:

. Naegi decided to explore near the dorm area first. He noted that the cafeteria was closed. Probably would reopen in the 'morning'. But he had no idea how long the food in there would last. He'd have to check the food situation with Maizono and Enoshima later in case Monokuma decided to induce murder by starvation.  
. 'Murder by starvation'. It would probably be best not to mention those words out loud. He didn't want to be responsible for giving Monokuma any sort of ideas in order to force his way into his desired objective, which was the denizens of this academic prison to murder each other.  
. Across the cafeteria, there was a sauna and a public bathroom. Both were locked.  
. _"Why are both of these rooms locked? If we're going to be spending the rest of our lives here, we might as well have access to everything."_  
. Naegi pondered a moment before coming up with an answer that at least seemed intuitive.  
_. "He's trying to close off space on the first floor, and compress us. He's hoping we'll get on each other's nerves so much by constantly being in close proximity to each other that we'll eventually resort to murder to get out of each other's hair. We can't stay in our rooms all day every day for the rest of our lives."  
_. He continued walking around. There was a trash room and a pair of restrooms. The pair of restrooms struck him as odd because there wasn't going to be any guests in this semi-closed system. The reason came to him a moment later.  
. _"Wait a moment, the bath and the restrooms? Was it always planned like this? Or is this in case a last survivor locks himself (or herself) out of their room? They still have a way to clean himself (or herself), and eat food, and use the toilet."  
_. His line of reasoning seemed okay, until he realized something.  
. _"Wait, but the bath is currently locked. Does that mean Monokuma unlocks more of this place the more unsuccessful murders there are? So, in theory, should we be rooting for someone to murder someone else, because, and I hate to think this, aside from the psychological trauma, it actually improves the lives of the survivors."_  
. Naegi's eyes narrowed. He did not like where his thought process was taking him.  
_. "One thing's for certain. This mastermind has set up a very clever meta-game that I can use to my advantage. Hehehe. I'm turning into quite the smart-ass. But then again, if I didn't, the sheer force of the other personalities (and egos in Togami's case) inside this school, including Monokuma's, would overwhelm me. I may be a nice guy, but I'm not going to be a pushover. I want to survive this experience."_  
. Naegi then decided to turn around and go straight ahead in order to start casing the rest of the school. He walked past the blue cafeteria sign and a sealed off staircase to the second floor, and headed towards where the majority of the school was. He passed the AV room and paused at the entrance hall. He turned and looked directly at it  
. _ "Judging from its lack of damage, I doubt either Oogami's strength or Oowada's rage could put a dent into it."_  
. He began feeling the door. Sure enough, there didn't seem to be any exploitable flaws in the door.  
. _ "No, it's rock solid. Just as expected. Well, actually, it's more titanium-steel alloy solid than rock solid."_ Naegi muttered to himself.  
. But a little box to his right caught his eye.  
. _"What's this?"_ he asked. At the bottom of the metallic, rectangular box, there was scribbled on the some tape some hasty handwriting:

DEAD STUDENTS' IDs.  
. _ "Monokuma's certainly confident he's going to get at least a couple of murders. But what's really interesting is that the IDs of dead students AREN'T removed from play. He expects us to use the deaths of other students as lynch-pins to set up future murders."_  
. This brought other questions in his mind.  
. _"In what scenarios would you need to use someone else's ID to get where you want to go?"_  
. The first answer was obvious: gender-specific rooms. There were probably some rooms that only a male's ID could get into and some rooms that only a female's ID could get into. It would make sense. He'd have to keep an eye out for such rooms on this floor.  
. He walked from the box, hands in his pockets. Maybe over the next few days, he could ask for a handwriting sample from the other students and compare them to the scrawl at the bottom of the box.  
. _"Wait, I wonder if my ElectroID can take photographs?" _Naegi stopped and pondered._ "Monokuma did act like we were going to have to solve murders in this place, and I doubt anybody here, save for perhaps Kirigiri, has an eidetic memory."_  
. He walked back to the box, put it under his arm to prevent Monokuma from snatching it, and sat down to begin exploring the functions of his ElectroID. On the outside, there was a charging port and it probably connected to most laptops released nowadays. There was also a headphone jack and its own external speaker. He wondered if anybody else had noticed it. If Fujisaki could somehow get a computer, the programmer could probably get the technical specs on which operating systems the ID was compatible with.  
. _"Knowing our luck, it'll probably be some nerd version of Linux."_  
. He continued in much the same way someone explores the new features of a smartphone. He checked the storage capacity, and he saw that it was 128 GB with 127.8 GB available.  
. _"Probably to insure we never run out of space. But what can we put on here that makes 128 GB necessary?"_  
. Naegi soon discovered the answer to that question. Monokuma had its own data cloud complete with dozens of television shows, movies, hundreds of albums, and e-books. A user had the option to share their photos with the rest of the group.  
. _ "So that's what all that storage capacity on the Electro ID is for."_  
. His mind wandered off to another topic.  
._ "Wait a minute, this is almost like a social network that's exclusively confined to living prisoners of this academy. But there's only sixteen of us including Monokuma. So does Monokuma already have this 'game's' infrastructure ready to go in case he wants to import more students from the outside world? **And is it possible that's he done this before?**"_  
. That was certainly a troubling thought, and not one he wanted to extrapolate at 5 AM.  
. He found the camera.  
. _ "Ah, so here's where the camera is."_  
. Naegi took a picture of the handwriting in the box with his ElectroID before carefully placing the box back into his original position. The camera itself certainly sported such impressive resolutions for taking crystal-clear pictures.  
. _"Hmmm, I'm sure there's a prodigal photographer out there who would love to use this camera."_  
. His mind turned to another function of the IDs.  
. _ "Now, I wonder where it's possible to get some headphones and maybe some external speakers for this thing."_  
. He walked through the doors out of the entrance hall and saw the 'Student Store' across the hall.  
. _ "I guess Monokuma unlocked this after he announced all of his intents. But now I wonder if this place has headphones._"  
. Walking in, there they were, the headphones and the speakers. There was also a variety of other gifts, including ramen, a crystal skull sans Indiana Jones, and portable game systems.  
. _"Wait, portable game systems? What are the models?"_  
. Monokuma had stocked up on ... SEGA Gamegears and Neo Gear Pocket Collectors.  
. _"Goddamn it, Monokuma, what the frickin' Hell? Where's the Vita? Or at least the PSP?... Woah. I guess Oowada imparted his language on me with his punch."_  
. He spotted a laminated piece of paper on the counter. It had the same hasty, scribbled handwriting as the box.

_**Welcome to the Student Store, please find some Monokuma coins before purchasing items here. I've hidden Monokuma coins throughout the school, so consider it a built-in scavenger hunt to your lives here. And I've gotten pretty creative with some of their hiding spots, see if you can find them! Sincerely, Monokuma."**_

_. "Of course, Monokuma has to turn everything into a game in here."  
_. He left the student store and turned right, passing the locked infirmary and a pair of restrooms.  
_. "Oh, look, another staircase. And this one is also sealed off. Perhaps Oogami could physically dent it, but I get the feeling this is something Monokuma will open up after an unsuccessful murder."  
_. He turned right again and entered into the room right before the gymansium. There were awards and all sorts of items, school trophies for the math team that sort of thing. There was even a practice sword sheathed inside a scabbard with gold leaf covering it.  
. He touched the leaf and immediately stained his pointer finger gold.  
_. "So this comes off rather quickly. It's not very practical. Is it an award for something?"  
_. He read the first half of the inscription on the card beneath the sword. The second line which was supposed to name the year of the competition had been filed off.

**National Tournament for Female Swordswomen: 1st Place: Peko Pekoyama.**

_. "Now, why has the year been filed off?"_ Naegi squinted at the inscription, he could make out 20- , but the last two digits had been so severely filed off that it was impossible to read. Putting the thought into the back of his head, he headed into the gymnasium.  
. The gymnasium, where Monokuma had announced the terms and conditions of their stay here and where Oowada cleaned his clock and nearly knocked him unconscious. Oh well, he had to enter it again at some point.  
. Walking in again, he wasn't sure what he expected. But the basketballs still weren't picked up. There really wasn't anything that caught his eye in here... except the ceiling seemed to be an optical illusion. It looked like the gymnasium's ceiling went up to about 40 feet, but in actuality, it stopped at the height of the first floor, which was about half that.  
. _"So what's directly above me?"_ Naegi questioned.  
. Other than the fact that the ceiling was an optical illusion, it was your standard full-court with bleachers. There wasn't much of anything interesting here. But as he turned around, he spotted something bronze and shiny next to the door.  
. Naegi picked it up and flipped the coin.  
. "_I guess this is one of those Monokuma coins that that note made a mention of it. I can't believe nobody else noticed this and picked it up out of sheer curiosity. Maybe nobody else has been to the Student Store yet."  
_. He walked out of the gymnasium. He decided to head over the AV Room instead. There was nothing inside of it except a bunch of computers.  
_. "I wonder, since we're the only ones in here. Do we each pick a computer for personal use to hook up with our ElectroIDs? I'll have to ask Monokuma next time I see him."  
_. He left the A/V Room, and wandered past the classroom he woke up in.  
_. "Wait a minute, I was the last one to come to. And I woke up in a classroom. There are only two classrooms on the first floor, 1-A, and 1-B. I know all the other rooms were locked because I checked them before going to the main hall. So if that's the case, where and when did everyone else wake up?"_

\- AUTHOR NOTE: I saw the opportunity to turn the sword into a reverse homage to Dangan Ronpa 2, so I did.  
\- AUTHOR NOTE: Please go ahead and leave a review or recommend this to fellow fans. I want to hear the reactions from readers.


	4. Blazing Purple

Chapter 4:

. Naegi sat down outside his room until morning. He needed to ask someone, anyone about where and when they woke up in the school. He didn't want to go back to bed because he had no idea if the military-esque hardass, Kiyotaka Ishimaru, had told everyone to meet somewhere at a certain time, and that would present an outside chance of him missing just about everyone else.  
"_If my hunch is correct, there should be some inconsistencies between an arrival and waking up from someone!"_  
He folded his hands together underneath his chin. An announcement from Monokuma came at seven AM.  
_**"Good morning, you guys! It is now 7:00 A.M.! Rise and shiiine!"**_  
. Naegi had expected someone to come out at that point, either to get coffee or tea or even a frickin' bagel with cream cheese or something. They couldn't all dislike breakfast like he did. But it was no use, they were probably all lying in their beds, trying to delude themselves that this wasn't real. That they were still safe and sound in their homes, or that even if they were in Hope's Peak, yesterday hadn't been real. It was all an elaborate prank by the staff and other students.  
. No such luck. This was very much real. This was as real as it was going to get. Seeing that box labelled 'Dead Students' ID' had convinced him. Nobody put a miniscule detail like that for just a prank. And in here, every issue was amplified off the walls. Every interpersonal problem would resonate between them, wear them down. And Naegi had a sinking feeling that not all of them would survive this. Sure, maybe a few, maybe even a half-dozen or so, but everybody here? Not likely.  
. He was so wrapped in his thoughts that he almost didn't spot the lavender-colored boots with heels. Kirigiri was returning to her room, coffee in hand.  
_"Hello... Makoto Naegi."_  
_"Kirigiri Kyoko."_  
_"What are you doing up?_" Kirigiri's voice was firm. If it weren't for the transpired sequence of events, it could have almost been mistaken for small talk.  
_"I woke up around four, walked around the school, and haven't gone back to sleep since then."_  
_"I see."_  
_"So what are you doing up?"_  
_"I wanted some coffee."_  
_"You like coffee?"_  
_"Yes. Do you like coffee?"_  
_"No, I've never really been fond of breakfast food."_  
_"I see. You said you walked around the school. Did you do something the rest of us couldn't do and find a way out?"_  
_"If I did, would I still be here?"_  
Kirigiri smiled slightly.  
_"Good point."_  
_"But I did discover something strange. I'll show you."_  
Kirigiri raised her eyebrows.  
_"Something strange?"_  
_"A minor detail that broadcasts the mastermind's overconfidence that our living numbers will decrease."_  
_"And what's that?"_  
_"Follow me. I don't want Monokuma preemptively swiping it."_  
_"You're not planning to kill me, are you?"_  
_"You're wearing boots with heels. One kick to the gut in the stomach and I'm finished."_  
_"Says the guy who withstood one of the fiercest punches a teenager could possibly dish out yesterday."_  
_"Hahaha. Come on."_  
. Naegi put his hands in his pockets and strolled to the entrance hall.  
_"Kirigiri, I have another question for you."_  
_"If it's about my talent, I'm still choosing not to answer that particular question."_  
_"No, it's not about that."_  
_"Then what's your question?"_  
_"What's with the purple color palette? You look like a humanized version of Blaze the Cat."_  
_"What? It's lavender and lilac."_  
_"So shades of purple. Why?"_  
_"It happens to be my favorite color. And who's Blaze the cat?"_  
_"You never had Sonic Rush for Nintendo DS?"_  
_"No."_ Kirigiri appeared apprehensive. _**"Is he bringing up this game to get me lower my guard and strike? I know he's brought up my boots as a counterpoint." **_Kirigiri's eyes narrowed slightly._** "But it's possible he has a way around it."**_  
_"Is something wrong?"_  
_"No, nothing. But why are you bringing up something like Sonic Rush, Naegi?"_  
_"I... don't know, you just reminded me of Blaze the cat. Between all the purple, and the fact that you're very icy,cold, and not very conducive to the power of friendship, but you'll likely warm up over time."_  
_"You think the power of friendship will help us here?"_  
_"Not at first."_  
_"How interesting. Why?"  
_"_Because we've only known each other for a day. And we still don't know a lot about each other. It's possible that the dynamics change, and change drastically."_  
_"In face of the murdering?"_  
_"No, just in time."_  
_"You think there won't be any murders?"_  
_"I honestly can't say. I don't know everybody here well enough to predict who they are and what actions they might be willing to consider. Especially considering the magnitude of most of the personalities here. Most of them are used to situations where they can dictate the sequence of events."_  
_"Well said. You're approaching this with a lot more tact than I expected."_  
. Now it was Naegi's eyes that narrowed. He could draw a few inferences about Kirigiri. Unlike Maizono, or even Enoshima, Kirigiri was more reserved, full of dry wit, and not as likely to present much of a target in either direction as he thought. She was a solo operative. You could either play her second fiddle or stay out of her way, but she wouldn't hesitate to discard someone if they were a liability. Unlike Togami, Celeste, or Fukawa, she didn't seem too likely to murder, and there were easier targets such as himself and Fujisaki to go after.  
. He found the box.  
_"What can I say? As the perpetual beta male, it's too my advantage to understand people."_  
_"Is that so?"_  
_"Kirigiri, could you be my witness on this?"_  
_"Witness for what?"_  
_"Look at the bottom of the box. Tell me what it is says."_  
_"It says 'Dead Students' ID'. It's written on tape. The handwriting appears quite messy._  
_"Okay."_  
_"I see what you mean. The mastermind is really anticipating some murders."_  
_"Not just that, failed murders as well. Note the plural."_  
_"Yeah. Not good."_  
_"If you were running this game, wouldn't you remove the ID-s of any dead students from 'play'?"_  
_"I suppose I would."_  
_"And yet, they aren't getting removed. Meaning?"_  
_"Meaning that they could be integral for a second or even third murder."_  
"Exactly."  
_"That showcases extreme confidence on Monokuma's part, whether he knows it or not."_  
_"Oh, hello, it's my two favorite students. Naegi and Kirigiri. Careful Naegi, you'd better not let Maizono catch you showing this to Kirigiri. She might get jealous and go full yandere."_  
_"What do you want, Monokuma?"_ Naegi questioned Monokuma.  
_"Oh, I just wondered what the two of you were up to. I mean, you've only just hit the twenty-four hour mark, and already you're screwing around."_  
_. Naegi knew exactly what Monokuma was doing, but it was Kirigiri who voiced the objective._  
_"You're just trying to wear us down mentally to make us more susceptible to murder."_  
_"No, I'm not."_  
_"Yes, you are."_  
_"No."_  
_"Yes."_  
_"No."_  
_"Yes."_  
_"No!"_  
_"Yes."_  
_"NO!"_  
_"Yes."_  
. Naegi sweatdropped. Kirigiri was remaining as poised as ever at Monokuma's vehement insistence that he wasn't trying to accelerate the murdering.  
_"Well, in case, I hope you've both discovered that there's no way out."_ Monokuma said.  
_"We'll see about that."_ Kirigiri said.  
_"My my, you're sure confident, aren't you, Kirigiri Kyoko? I mean, all things considered."_  
_"I could say the same to you, Monokuma."_  
_"Overconfident? Me? How dare you say such a thing?"_ Monokuma glared at Kirigiri. "_I'm such a humble bear. You haven't figured that out yet? I mean-"_  
_"Monokuma, if you're going to do more 'bear' puns, just stop."_  
_"Pre-emptively shutting down my routine, Naegi? You know me too well."_ Monokuma sighed.  
_"Naegi, how did you know Monokuma was going to make bear puns?"_ Kirigiri quequed.  
_"Let's just say I ran into him at about four this morning."_  
_"With Maizono and Enoshima."_ Monokuma helpfully added. _"I'll let your imagination do the rest, Kirigiri."_  
_"Too bad, Monokuma. I don't have one."_ Kirigiri dead-panned.  
_"That's a real shame, Kirigiri. I had high hopes in your potential, considering your background."_  
_"Monokuma, I'm only going to say this once. Shut up."_ Kirigiri said.  
_"You really are a mean entity, Monokuma."_ Naegi told off the robotic bear.  
"_What? It's not enough to have Maizono and Enoshima in the palms of your hands. Now, you've got to have Kirigiri in your back pocket as well?"_ Monokuma clapped his hands over his mouth.  
_"Huh? Wait, Monokuma. What do you mean?"_  
_"It's time for me to scram. See you later, Naegi!"_ Monokuma scurried away.  
_"Wonder what he meant by that. I mean, I /know Maizono has affection for me. But Enoshima?"_ Naegi muttered.  
_"Damn, Naegi, what's all the commotion?"_ Leon had arrived. He spotted Kirigiri. _"Oh no seriously? Not another one. You trying to go three for three in under twenty four hours? You've already got Maizono. And it's all but guaranteed you've clinched Enoshima as well. The two nines in this school, the model and the diva aren't enough?"_ Leon joked.  
_"Wait, if Maizono and Enoshima are nines, then what am I?"_ Kirigiri asked bemusedly.  
_"Oh crap, you're uh... you're an 8.8."_  
_"I see. Nice 'save' there."_ Kirigiri airquoted the penultimate word. The fabric on her gloves rippled slightly.  
_"Anyway, Leon, take a look at this."_ Naegi showed Leon the box. Leon read what was inside.  
"_Oh crap."_  
_"You do realize the implications of this, right?"_  
_"That Monokuma over there is expecting multiple murders?"_  
_"Exactly."_  
_"Wait, Monokuma is over there?"_ Naegi asked Leon, blinking several times in confusion.  
_"Yeah, behind the corner."_ Leon said, pointing over his shoulder to Monokuma, homaging the stalker classic by peeking around the column _"I passed him on the way over here. He was muttering about how he wanted to do bear puns, but you kept one-uping him."_  
_"I see. Point to me then!"_ Naegi raised his hands triumphantly.  
_"You seemed oddly amused by that_." Leon chuckled.  
_"Hey, we're trapped in here. We might as take the moral victories when they come."  
__"I wouldn't say that being more smart-alecky than a teddy bear is that much of a moral victory. Say, how did you even discover this box?"  
__"I woke up around 4 AM this morning, and decided to go exploring around the school."  
__"Make any discoveries?"  
__"Monokuma is fan of retro handhelds?"  
__"Huh?"  
__"Yeah. I went into the Student Store. And instead of PSPs and maybe DSs, Monokuma is selling SEGA Gamegears and Neo Geo Pocket Collectors."  
__"Okay._" Leon looked at Naegi quizzically. _"Why?"_  
_"I have no idea, maybe Monokuma is just a fan of retro gaming?"_  
_" You gotta be kidding me, as if this place wasn't weird enough._"  
_"Yeah. Say Leon, Kirigiri, you know how we were all unconscious yesterday?"  
__"Sure."  
__"You know how I was the last one to show up?"  
__"Where are you going with this, Naegi?" _Kirigiri asked._  
__"What I mean is this 'where do you guys wake up'?"  
__"Personally, I woke up in the gymnasium."_ Leon said.  
_"Did you get a look at the time?"_ Naegi asked.  
_"No, Naegi, I didn't. Why?"  
__"I'm trying to come up with inconsistencies between when we first arrived here, and when we woke up."  
__"Have you found any yet?"_ Leon asked.  
_"No, but I'm still looking. Kirigiri, where did you wake up? And do you know when?"  
__"I do not know when. But I do know where."  
__"Where do you wake up?"  
__"My room."  
__"Your room?"  
__"How strange."_ Leon said. _"I mean, I didn't wake up in my room. And I'm assuming Naegi didn't either."  
__"No, I didn't. I woke up in one of the classrooms."  
__"I see."  
__"It's time I get going."_ Kirigiri said.  
_"Where are you going?"_ Leon asked.  
_"There are things I must sort out."  
__"What things, Kirigiri?"_ Naegi said.  
_"Personal things." _She said as she walked off.  
_"What's her problem?"_ Leon asked.  
_"Well, this environment isn't exactly conducive to making friends."_  
_"Conducive?"_  
_"Yeah, conducive?"_  
_"What in the world does 'conducive' even mean?"_  
_"It means 'preferred'."_  
_"Ah. I suppose that is true. This situation isn't exactly ideal for making friends."_  
_"But I got a different sense from her than I did from Togami."_  
_"What do you mean by that?"_  
_"Well, if Togami gets the chance, he'll off someone and try to get away with it."_  
_"Yeah, I got that."_  
_"It's different with Kirigiri. The impression I'm getting from her about this situation is_ **_'I'm going to beat this situation and, no, I don't care whether you like me, hate me, or are ambivalent towards me. You can either join me or get out of the way. Because I'm not going to hesitate to leave you behind.'"_**  
_"Aha, I see."_  
_"Hey, Naegi?"_  
_"Yeah. I got word from Celeste that Ishimaru wanted a meeting this afternoon."_  
_"Is that so? What time?"_  
_"I think 4 this afternoon? Apparently, he wanted enough time for the news to disseminate throughout the school."_

\- AUTHOR NOTE: Please go ahead and leave a review or recommend this to fellow fans. I want to hear the reactions from readers._  
_


	5. It Doesn't Mattress

Chapter 5

_"Disseminate? But there's only sixteen of us, including Monokuma!"_ Naegi pointed out.  
_"Yeah. But there are several anti-social people here."_ Leon said.  
_"Seriously?"_  
_"Have you not met Yamada and Fukawa yet?"_  
_"Point taken. So, Leon, where are you going to go?"_  
_"Probably see if I can't get that trapdoor in the Incinerator Room unlocked."_  
_"What?"_  
_"You didn't notice that?"_  
_"No. I mean, I peeked inside the Incinerator Room but I didn't really look around too much in there."_  
_"Well, I'm going to try and do that. And, then, after that, I'm going to the gymnasium again."_  
_"Again?"_  
_"That's where we spent most of our time after we finished exploring the first floor, trying to figure out how Monokuma did what he did."_  
_"I see."_  
_"And you?"_  
_"I'm probably going to go rummage through the desks in the classroom. They're may be something in there."_  
_"Like what?"_  
_"Like something that would tell us how long we were out in between when we got here and now. My guess is these metallic coverings didn't go up in a matter of minutes. So the question is how long were we unconscious? Hours? Days? Weeks?_  
_"I doubt it's weeks since we first arrived here."  
_"So you say, but there's a psychotic mechanical teddy bear telling us to murder each other."  
_"So Naegi, what do you plan to do when you get out of here?"_ Leon asked.  
_"Leon, you're seriously asking that question. Are you trying to jinx me?"_ Naegi commented.  
_"Well, if anybody can overcome that jinx, it would be you. After all, you are the Luckster."_  
_"Fair enough."_  
_"So what are you going to do?"_  
_"First, I'm going to eat all of my favorite foods. I'm going to sleep in my own bed. And then I'm going to marathon the television shows I missed. And then I'm going to burn through my favorite video games."_  
_"Sleep?"_  
_"Yeah, dude. You think we're going to get restful sleep in here?... And that's not anywhere what you meant, was it?"_  
. Leon chuckled. "_Wow, dude."_  
_"Yeah, yeah, very funny. You and your mind."_  
_"Actually, I was thinking you'd end up in the role of Maizono's teddy bear. But okay. If you want to go there, by all means."_  
_"Really, Leon? In this situation?"_  
_"Hey, it's not in my place to dictate the pacing of your 'relationship.'"_  
. Naegi groaned. What was he going to do about Maizono anyway?  
_"Leon, what makes you think I'm going to end up as Maizono's 'teddy bear'?"_  
_"Between the two of you, who is more likely to have the luxury mattress?"_  
_"I hate you so much right now."_  
_"What type of mattress would Maizono have anyway?" _Leon smirked.  
_"I hope you realize how WEIRD this sounds out of context."_  
_"Yeah, but it's still generally amusing."_  
_"If you say so."_  
. Meanwhile, Maizono opened her eyes. She missed her tempurpedic mattress back home. _"Today's a new day."_ Her stomach grumbled. _"But first, breakfast."_ She rolled over and fell out of bed face first. _"Ow."_ She was sure Monokuma was watching, and laughing its ass off on the other end of the cameras. She rolled over and faced the ceiling.  
**_"Maybe, Naegi has already found a way out?"_** She thought. **_"Nah. I may like the guy, I may like the guy a lot. But he's not that good."_** She laid out spread-eagle on the floor and closed her eyes again. **_"Then again, good ol' Naegi is probably not the male version of a Mary Sue. He may be resistant to being punched, and he may be quick-witted, but that is something he is most decidedly not."  
_**She put on her clothes and walked to the cafeteria. Celeste was there, sipping tea.  
_"Hello, Celeste."_  
_"Hello, Maizono."_  
_"How long have you been here?"_  
_"I've only been here for about fifteen, maybe twenty minutes."_  
_"I see."_  
_"Have you figured out anything, Celeste?_" Maizono asked.  
_"Not yet, I'm going to go explore the first floor again after I've finished sipping my tea."_  
_"Do you have any place in mind to explore?"_  
_"Not yet. I was thinking I was just going to poke around."_  
_"I see."_  
_"What's your connection to Naegi?"_ The question appeared to come so suddenly.  
_"I'm sorry?"_  
_"What. Is. Your. Connection. To. Naegi?"_  
_"I. Went. To. Middle. School. With. Him. Why are you asking?"_  
_"Because I got a look at your face yesterday when Oowada nearly knocked Naegi out. I could seriously see you murdering someone for Naegi's sake. If someone threatened Naegi, I could see you grabbing a knife from the kitchen and stabbing the attacker in the heart."_  
_"Celeste... don't say stuff like that!"_  
_"I'm saying it because I'm curious. Does Naegi really mean that much for you?"_  
_"Celeste?"_  
_"Yes?"_  
_"Do you remember how Monokuma had said "From now on, this school will be your whole world.' and how we need 'to cut ties with the outside world'?"_  
_"I vaguely recall hearing that first sentence. And yeah. Okay."_  
_"There's your answer."_  
_"There's my answer? How intriguing, you are"_ Celeste paused for a moment. "v_ery deft at avoiding questions."_  
_"It's part of the career."_  
Celeste chuckled. _"It's part of mine as well."_  
_"Those metallic coverings are really an eye-sore."_ Maizono said, trying to change the topic.  
"_You could almost call it 'Metallic Madness'"._ Fujisaki had entered the cafeteria.  
"_What's 'Metallic Madness'?"_ Celeste said.  
"_It's the final level in the SEGA CD game Sonic CD, one of the only decent games for the system."_ Fujisaki replied.  
_"You're interested in video games, Fujisaki?"_ Maizono asked.  
_"What kinda of a question is that? I am the programmer."_ Fujisaki replied. _"Of course, I would be interested in video games."_  
_"What types of video games are you most interested in?"_ Celeste asked.  
_"Platformers."_ Fujisaki said. "_Actually, anything except dating sims, to be honest."_  
_"Why not dating sims?"_ Maizono asked.  
"_I don't know. I've just never been able to work around with them."_ Fujisaki replied.  
"_Do you have a favorite platformer?"_ Celeste said.  
"_Sonic 3 &amp; Knuckles because of its unique properties."_  
_"Why?"_ Maizono asked. _"What unique properties does Sonic 3 &amp; Knuckles have?"_  
_"Well, Sonic 3 was originally released in May of 1994, and Sonic &amp; Knuckles was released in October 1994."_  
_"Sounds like a cheap money-making scheme to me."_ Celeste said.  
_"Well, it was more to work around technical limitations."_ Fujisaki replied. _"Sonic &amp; Knuckles contained a cartridge slot that allowed you to insert any SEGA Genesis cartridge released on it, and depending on the cartridge you got new games."_  
_"Really? Such as?"_  
_"Well, if you put Sonic 3 on it, you got Sonic 3 &amp; Knuckles. If you put Sonic the Hedgehog 2, you got the ability to play as Knuckles in Sonic the Hedgehog 2."_  
_"Let me guess. If you put the original game in you got the ability to play as Knuckles in Sonic the Hedgehog 1, am I right?"_ Celeste snarked,  
_"Actually, no, you got Blue Sphere."_  
_"Blue Sphere? What's that?"_  
_"It's the special stage for Sonic 3 &amp; Knuckles."_  
_"Okay. So what do you have to do, collect Maizono's irises?"_  
_"Hey!"_ Maizono sounded indignant.  
_"Well, your irises are almost exact same shade of blue. I'm serious. It's almost scary. But, actually you were supposed to turn the blue spheres into red spheres. Turn all of the blue spheres into red spheres, you get an Emerald. Collect all the rings and you get a perfect. But you automatically use lose if you touch a red sphere. And contrary to the mistake of many newbies and idiots, Knuckles does not collect the red spheres either." _Fujisaki commented.  
_"I see."_ Celeste said. _"And what happens if you didn't have a Sonic cartridge to put onto Sonic &amp; Knuckles?"_  
_"That'd be a ridiculously contrived situation."_  
_"Why so?"_  
_"Sonic 1 came bundled with the SEGA Genesis. Later, Sonic 2 came bundled with the game instead. So the idea of someone owning a SEGA Genesis with Sonic &amp; Knuckles, but not another Sonic cartridge is almost contrived."_  
_"I see. But still what happens if you put on a non-Sonic cartridge anyway?"_  
_"Well that actually depends on the file size."_  
"_What?"_  
_"Yeah, Sonic &amp; Knuckles employed a bit of programming where it read the last 2 MB of the cartridge you put on top."_  
_"Only 2 MB?"_ Maizono said. _"That's tiny."_  
_"It was the 1990s. Anyway, Sonic &amp; Knuckles has the honor of being one of the first cases of backwards compability in video game history, as well as in-game patching."_  
_"In-game patching?_" Celeste said.  
"_Yes. 'Knuckles in Sonic 2 contained some in-game patching. It patched in Knuckles' sprites and button mappings. It added things such as 1-UP boxes in Chemical Plant zone. It also patched some collision data in Casino Night Zone."_  
_"I see."_  
_"Yep. But to answer your original question about what happens if you put a non-Sonic game on Sonic &amp; Knuckles. It depends on how large the cartridge is. If it's over 2 MB, it just runs Sonic &amp; Knuckles. If it's under 2 MB like most cartridges released before Sonic &amp; Knuckles were, then you get some randomly generated Blue Sphere stages, not as much as the full set from Sonic 1, but you get a couple dozen."_  
_"This is all very interesting."_ Maizono said. _"I had no idea that programming could contain so much."_  
_"Yes, indeed, it is. Now if you excuse me, I'm going to go get something to eat." Fujisaki got up from the table._  
_"Mountain Dew and ... nacho-flavored Doritos for brunch?"_ Celeste said._ "That can't be healthy."_  
_"Oh, it isn't."_ Fujisaki calmly replied._ "But it's my comfort food."_  
Maizono sweat-dropped. Fujisaki was a little bit weird.  
_"So, Fujisaki, you mentioned Sonic CD?"_ Maizono asked._ "Do you like that game as well?"_  
_"Yeah. It focuses more on platforming and exploration than the typical Sonic speed, but it's still pretty good. It's widely considered a cult-classic along with Knuckles Chaotix for the SEGA 32-X."_  
_"32-X? What's that?" _Maizono asked.  
_"It was one of the multiple add-ons SEGA used for the Genesis/Megadrive. It flopped, hard. Codenamed Project Jupiter, it was meant to compete with the Atari Jaguar. (Hehehe... Jaguar..) Since it was released only months before the SEGA Saturn, so there was no reason for any developer to create games for it._  
Looking pensive, with a finger near the mouth, Fujisaki continued. _"I suppose if it and the SEGA CD add-on had been released earlier in the Genesis/Megadrive lifespan, it might have worked. "_  
_"How so?"_ Celeste asked.  
_"Well, they could have developed 16-bit versions of games that up-scaled to 32 bit of you inserted them into the 32-X add-on. But perhaps the idea would have been enough to attract sales for the system. 32-Bit versions of Sonic the Hedgehog games would have been really good from a marketing standpoint, especially compared to the 16-bit Super Mario Bros 3 and Super Mario World."_  
_"Fujisaki, I have no idea what in the world you're talking about."_ Maizono admitted. _"16-bit. 32-bit, what?"_  
_"Well, in order to create games, you need objects, which were originally called sprites. 16-bit refers to the amount of different colors you could use on objects. 16-bit gave you the ability to use sixteen different colors for the sprites. 32-bit enabled you to have 32 different colors. By the time '64'-bit came around though it was the early stages of 3-D with polygons."_ Fujisaki continued to ramble on and on about how some franchises suffered with the polygon ceiling.  
"_You could only have a certain amount of colors so what?"_ Maizono said.  
_"You want a direct example of that?"_ Fujisaki said.  
_"Sure."_  
_"Knuckles' socks."_  
_"His socks?"_  
"_Yes, his socks. Originally Knuckles the Echidina was supposed to wear green socks in the cut-scenes. But because it messed with the color palette, so they went with yellow socks instead."_  
_"I see."_  
Fujisaki returned to rambling about polygon consoles.  
_"The SEGA Saturn used quadrilaterals for its geometrical polygons whereas most systems used triangles."_  
Maizono looked perplexed.  
"_Fujisaki, I am not a geometry expert. What's the different between quadrilateral and triangular polygons?"_  
_"Well, quadrilateral polygons allow for smoother surfaces. Triangular polygons allow for more terrain variation in terms of the landscape of levels. Though I suppose you could turn a quadrilateral into a triangular by bringing two corners of the shape extremely close together."_  
. Maizono put her head on the table. Fujisaki's long-winded talking was too complex for her to understand, and the programmer still wasn't done.  
_"Well, the Nintendo 64-DD was more of a commercial failure than any of SEGA's add-ons for the Genesis. It only had nine games ever released for the system, and it was released at the end of the Nintendo 64's life-cycle, by which time the next batch of consoles such as the Dreamcast had been slotted to be created."_  
_"The Dreamcast? Who thought that was a good name for a console?"_ Celeste snarked.  
_"SEGA."_  
_"Of course."_  
_"The Dreamcast died so young!"_  
_"Uh, Fujisaki, what are you talking about?_" Maizono questioned.  
_"Despite having superior hardware specs and being released the earliest, the Dreamcast lost out to the GameCube, the original Xbox, and the PlayStation. It's been validated nowadays, and is a favorite of the Internet."_  
_"If the Dreamcast had superior specs and was released first, why did it lose out?_" Celeste said, twirling her hair. _"Seems to me it should have been won."_  
_"Stupid pirate protection."_ Fujisaki muttered furiously. _"And how expensive Shenmue was."_  
_"What?"_  
_"Dreamcast games were so ridiculously easy to pirate, it wasn't funny. And Shenmue was so expensive that in order to make back its' budget, everybody would have had to purchase it twice."_  
_"Seriously? A game had that kind of budget? When? But the pirating thing... Okay. That makes sense."_  
_"The original Shenmue was released in 1999 in Japan and 2000 everywhere else. It got rave and almost near-perfect reviews."_ The programmer went back to eating Doritos and drinking Mountain Dew. Fujisaki resolved to go on a binge of Dreamcast titles after this was all over.

A little while later, a hooded figure entered the cafeteria. There was a pressing question that needed to be asked...

**_"Why is Fujisaki eating Doritos and drinking Mountain Dew?"_**

\- AUTHOR'S NOTE: Chapter 5 and Chapter 6 were originally one chapter. But it kept expanding and expanding. So I ended up pulling a Sonic 3 &amp; Knuckles. (Chapter 6 isn't quite finished at the time of posting.) I also had great enjoyment writing for the introverted Fujisaki. And if Asahina can mention Charles Barkley and Shaq and Kirigiri can mention Ellery Queen, it's not out of the question for Fujisaki to know gaming consoles. Long live the Dreamcast!  
\- AUTHOR NOTE: Please go ahead and leave a review or recommend this to fellow fans. I want to hear the reactions from readers.


	6. Chippy Conversation

Chapter 6

_"Why is Fujisaki eating Doritos and drinking Mountain Dew?"_  
_"Hello, Naegi."_ Maizono greeted the hooded boy.  
"_Hey, Maizono. So what are the three of you doing?"_  
_"We've been learning that you should never have add -ons when it comes to video games."_ Celeste snarked.  
_"What?"_  
_"Yeah."_ Maizono said. _"Blue Sphere."_  
_"Maizono, you have two eyes."_ Naegi said.  
_"I should hope so."_ Celeste said. _"Otherwise, we'd be in big trouble."_  
_"Damn it Naegi, you too? Wait, Naegi, you know about Sonic the Hedgehog?"_ Maizono said.  
_"What?"_ Naegi questioned. _"Yeah. I mean, it is one of my favorite franchises, and considering Kirigiri is basically the human version of Blaze the Cat."_  
Fujisaki started laughing.  
"_What's so funny, Fujisaki?"_ Celeste asked.  
"_Okay, okay. Blaze the Cat has appeared in Sonic Rush and Sonic Rush Adventure for the Nintendo DS. Do either of you know about Miyamoto's opinions about cats?"_  
Naegi started laughing too. _"You're right, that is funny."_  
_"Huh?"_ Celeste looked more perplexed than she had ever been in her life.  
_"Naegi, would you do the honors of explaining this?"_  
_"Certainly, Fujisaki. Okay, at an E3, Miyamoto said 'Cats are interesting. They are kind of like girls. If they come and talk to you, it's great. But if you try to talk to them, it doesn't always go so well.'"_ Naegi continued to laughed hilariously.  
_"Okay, I'm just going to smile and nod._" Maizono looked confused.  
_"My original question of why you couldn't play Knuckles in Sonic 1 still hasn't been answered."_ Celeste said.  
_"When did you mention that?"_ Fujisaki asked.  
_"Never mind."_ Celeste said, trying to change the topic._ "Can you answer the question?"_  
"_Well, I've heard that it was due to collision detection with the saws in Scrap Brain Zone."_ Fujisaki said. "_But there's more to it than that. The color pallettes also didn't match up for well. For instance, Marble Zone is the only zone among the Genesis cartridges to feature any version of purple. No zones in Sonic 2 or 3 &amp; Knuckles use those shades of purple. And Knuckles' normal sprites, even without his socks and shoes, requires three types of reds."_  
_"Really?"_ Naegi said. _"Couldn't they have made new sprites for Knuckles using the reds and oranges from Spring Yard Zone for Knuckles' sprites instead outlined by some black lines? And I know Green Hill had the required greens for his socks too, and a yellow from Labyrinth Zone could have been used as well for his shoes."_  
_"That might work in theory."_ Fujisaki conceded._ "But in practice, that could be unreasonably difficult to code."_  
_"I always thought it was more of the fact that the Spindash wasn't available in Sonic 1, and trying to implement it with the speed cap and air cap would have made it impractical."_ Naegi continued.  
_"That could be a possibility."_ Fujisaki admitted. _"I'll run through both of the cartridges code when I get out of here. I'm curious now."_  
_"Speed cap?"_ Maizono asked.  
_"Air Cap?"_ Celeste questioned.  
"_Speed caps and air caps were present in the original game. The story is that the creator said that Sonic was going too fast, and that it needed to be slowed down." _Naegi said, hands folded behind his hand_. "But it was more due to making it easier to program. The caps were removed for Sonic 2, and as a result in certain levels on the original Genesis games, you could actually outrun the screen."_  
"_Seriously?_" Maizono said.  
_"Blast processing at its finest."_ Naegi said.  
_"What's Blast Processing?_" Celeste asked.  
_"It's a marketing slogan to emphasizing the processing speed of the Genesis's games."_ Naegi said.  
Fujisaki slammed a hand to the forehead. "_I just thought of something SEGA could have released for the 32-X!"_  
_"And what's that?"_ Maizono said.  
_"Remastered versions of the Genesis titles packed with new features, including a full-blown port of Knuckles the Echidna in Sonic the Hedgehog 1. It would feature a spin-dash, the seventh emerald, and save functions! If Sonic 3 &amp; Knuckles could provide eight save files for the bare-bones Genesis, then the 32-X certainly could have handled the differences in color palette between the original game and Knuckles's sprites. After all, it has 32 color slots instead of 16!"_  
_"Moving on to new topic, Naegi, why do you have your hood up?"_ Maizono asked.  
"_Oh, this? I felt like being a bit stealthy."_  
_"How's that working out for you?"_ Celeste said.  
_"Not very well. I got a lecture from Ishimaru about how we shouldn't wear hoods indoors. I just slipped away from a debate between Oowada and Ishimaru about whether's it's appropriate to wear hoods in this school environment. Oowada was for hoods, and Ishimaru was against."_  
_"That sounds oddly in character for the two of them."_ Celeste said.  
"_Yeah, it does."_  
_"As long as they don't end up killing each other over this."_ Celeste said.  
_"I hope you mean literally."_ Monokuma had appeared. _"I would love to see some death in here, it beats listening to you guys discuss outdated consoles from the 1990s."_  
. Fujisaki stopped eating chips and looked worried. If Monokuma was here, what dastardly suggestions would he pull next?  
_"No, of course not."_ Celeste said. _"I don't WANT them to kill each other. We've only been in here for a day, imagine if someone saw us. Think about what that says for human nature."_  
_"You're saying like that's not the preferred outcome, but you could handle the alternative."_ Naegi pointed out Celeste's choice of words.  
"_See, Naegi gets it!"_ Monokuma raised his paws. _"I knew you would started coming around to my way of thinking!"_  
_"No, I'm still not agreeing with you, you little piece of crap." _Naegi replied.  
_"Do you know what Naegi said to me this morning, Fujisaki?_"  
_"I have no idea."_ Fujisaki said timidly.  
_"The words still apply here, Monokuma!"_ Naegi pointed out.  
_"He said. He said. '**Now, go away, you crazy little psycho.**' Can you believe it?"_  
. Fujisaki glanced at Naegi and then at Monokuma and then back at Naegi.  
_"Yes."_  
_"Monokuma, of course, you're a crazy little psycho. You've locked us in here, you're saying we have to murder each other to get out, and you make bears puns non-stop."_  
_"You're flanderizing me! I refuse to be flanderized."_  
_"Too late."_  
_"Naegi, that third thing is rather underwhelming."_ Celeste said. "_Is it really that bad?"_  
_"You've never heard them, Celeste. You've never heard them."_  
_"I can agree with him on that."_ Maizono seconded Naegi's statement.  
_"It's an example of Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking."_ Fujisaki helpfully pointed out.  
"_Thank you for catching that. I thought I would have to explain it like I did Xanatos Gambit."_  
_"Yeah, well, otherwise you would have become Mr. Exposition."_  
_"[Beat] Giving Mr. Exposition too many lines in succession becomes very dull."_  
_"Naegi, why did you just say 'Beat'?"_ Celeste questioned.  
_"That's because it's another trope."_ Fujisaki replied.  
_"And also because I mean to say this, 'Beat it, Monokuma'."_ Naegi interjected.  
_"Michael Jackson!"_ Maizono said.  
_"Michael Jackson?"_ Monokuma said.  
"_'Beat it', it's a song by Michael Jackson. You know, the King of Pop?"_  
_"Huh."_ Naegi looked confused.  
"_Oh, never mind."_ Maizono gave up.  
_"You know Michael Jackson was rumored to be involved in the music for Sonic the Hedgehog 3?" Fujisaki said._  
_"Wait, seriously?" _Maizono said._ "I had no idea."_  
_"Well, it's just a rumor. But apparently Carnival Night shares some chords with 'Jam', and the credits music for Sonic 3 alone would become the basis for 'Strangers in Moscow'. I think, anyway."_  
_"If it hasn't been confirmed yet, then it's still just an Urban Legend of Zelda." _Naegi commented._ "Albeit one with more support than most."_  
_"Oh, Zelda. That kid who always becomes that hero of Destiny and who gains the Master Sword to defeat Ganon." _Maizono said.  
_"I think the internet has just lost all respect for you." _Fujisaki said.  
_"What? Why?"_ Maizono said.  
_"The hero of the Legend of Zelda series is named Link." _Naegi corrected Maizono.  
_"Seriously? What's up with that?" _Maizono said.  
_"Fun fact, the series is also where the phrase 'Hijacked by Ganon' comes from." _Fujisaki said.  
_"So, if this were to be 'hijacked by Ganon', would that mean someone else ends up usurping Monokuma's operator as the mastermind behind this whole operation?" Naegi questioned._  
_"No, I'm not going to be hijacked by Ganon! I'm the real and final boss, you got it!" _Monokuma looked absolutely enraged_._  
_"You know what, it's a shame we don't have an artillery piece in here with us." _Naegi commented.  
_"Oh, why is that?" _Celeste said.  
_"Because Monokuma is right there and then this 'game' would be hijacked by cannon!"_  
_._ Monokuma put his head down on the table as Maizono snickered.  
_"Oh, Naegi, that was legitimately a good pun-chline." Celeste admitted between chuckling._  
_"Celeste, not you too." _Monokuma looked despondent.  
_"What do you mean, Monokuma?"_  
_"Naegi always makes puns with the word pun in them! Pun-chline. 'I pull no pun-ches with my humor.' The list goes on."_  
_"Well, it's fitting, Monokuma. You saw fit to incite murder among us so we're going to pun-ish you."_ Naegi pointed out_._  
_"Argh! I can't stand it. I'm about to leave anyway!"_  
_"Thank you."_  
. Suddenly, the door opened.  
_"So, please tell me you're planning to murder right now?"_ Monokuma asked.  
_"What kind of idiot would I be to respond to that particular question?" _Byakuya Togami had walked in.  
_"Hey, Togami."_  
_"Hello, Naegi." _He noticed Naegi's hood was up_. "So that's why Ishimaru and Oowada were arguing about wearing hoods inside outside."_  
_"Yeah... Togami, have they harmed each other in anyway?" _Naegi said.  
_"They've mostly been shouting at each other. But I don't see them physically attacking each other."_  
_"Good."_  
_"You know, it might be good if they finished each other off."_ Togami remarked._ "Our average IQ would go up."_  
_"You and Celeste both."_ Monokuma said.  
_"What?"_  
_"He's twisting my words, Togami." _Celeste coolly replied.  
_"I see. I'm not surprised."_  
_"What, you actually trust the word of her over your headmaster?"_ Monokuma looked comically outraged.  
_"Well, that's not saying much. You're hardly the most trustworthy 'thing' here."_  
_" 'Thing', I'm a bear who happens to be your headmaster." _Monokuma pointed out._ "But I suppose you'll warm up to me in time. Everybody always does."_  
_"If we warm up to you, that would be classic case of Stockholm syndrome." _Togami coolly replied.  
_"Togami, what are you doing here anyway?" _Naegi asked.  
_"I came to get some Luwack Coffee. Is that so wrong?"_  
_"No, it's not. I was just curious."  
"Now, I have a question for you. Where is Leon Kuwata?" _Togami asked.  
_"Why?"_  
_"I need to ask him something."_  
_"What is it?" _Celeste questioned.  
_"How do you get rid of a stalker?" _Togami admitted, pointing over his shoulder to Fukawa, who was peering through the doorway rather anxiously_. "She's been following me all day while I tried to figure this place out."  
"What the?" _Maizono commented._ "Why would any girl be attracted to you?"_  
_"Wait, Togami, did you say you came for coffee?" _Naegi asked, cutting across Maizono's words before it could seriously escalate_._  
_"Yes."_  
_"Huh, that makes two coffee drinkers in this school."_ Naegi replied.  
_"Naegi, what do you mean?" _Maizono asked.  
_"I ran into Kirigiri this morning. She was also drinking coffee." _Naegi explained_.  
__"Is that so?" _Togami looked almost interested.  
_"Yeah."  
"Why are you telling me this?" _Togami asked rhetorically._  
__._ Meanwhile, Kirigiri was almost done searching the gymnasium again. She was at the podium, inspecting every inch.  
_"I still can't figure out how Monokuma popped out originally." _She muttered to herself.  
_"Hello, Kirigiri."  
__"Who's there?" _She looked up from behind the podium. It was a smirking Leon.  
_"Hello, Leon."  
__"What are you doing?"  
__"I'm trying to figure out how Monokuma first showed up."  
__"I can see why you would do that. That little bugger came out of nowhere."  
__"Yeah. And I'm trying to figure it out."  
__"We already spent basically all of yesterday while Naegi was recuperating trying to figure this out."  
__"And your point is?"  
__"My point is, does it really matter how he did it? He did it, and now we should just focus on trying to get out of here."  
__"That would be a good strategy except he's able to come out anywhere, and I'm trying to figure out how he does it."  
__"I see. So you want to be able to understand how he can move throughout the school and be able to anticipate it?"  
__"Yes."  
__"That makes sense."  
__"Hey, you two, what's up!" _Asahina had arrived in the gymnasium with Oogami in there as well.  
_"Hello, Kirigiri, Leon." _Oogami said.  
_"Hey, you two." _Leon said.  
_"So what are you two doing?" _Asahina asked.  
_"Well, she's trying to figure out how Monokuma appeared yesterday."_ Leon said._ "I only just got here a little before you two did."  
__"Really, we tried figuring that out yesterday." _Asahina said._ "We had no such luck with it."  
__"I know that, but Kirigiri here thinks that the first step is figuring out how Monokuma can appear wherever he wants."  
__. _He spun around three-hundred-and-sixty degrees._  
__"Leon, why are you doing that?"_ Asahina questioned.  
_"Because I expected him to come out and start prattling about." _Leon answered.  
_"Did you?"_ And instantly the hairs on Leon's neck stood straight up.

\- AUTHOR NOTE: Please go ahead and leave a review or recommend this to fellow fans. I want to hear the reactions from readers.


	7. Snakebit!

Chapter 7:

. Leon did not like the sound of that voice. And you know something, he never would. It was obnoxious, it was ear-grating, but most of all, it was surprisingly persuasive. Monokuma was a constant reminder of the setup of this place, and an intrusion on the nerves.  
"_Monokuma!" _Asahina gasped.  
"_Asahina._"  
. Kirigiri's eyes narrowed. Monokuma had managed to appear right under their noses, but for all of her observatory skills she still couldn't pinpoint how he had managed to suddenly appear as he did. She had just watched him show up seemingly out of nowhere and yet, she still had no idea what had happened. All she knew for certain was that Monokuma was right there. There must have been something going on above her head. And yet...  
. Ishimaru and Oowada had moved to the front of the laundry room, and were still arguing about hoodies.  
"_It is not acceptable to wear any sort of head covering indoors!"  
_"_WE'RE TRAPPED IN HERE! IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE GOING TO BE OUTSIDE ANYTIME SOON!"  
_"_Not acceptable under any circumstances."  
_"_The hell, man? Your 'rules' don't work anymore. They've all been thrown out the window."  
_"_The windows are covered up!"  
_"_Ah. So you're one of those literal-minded types who can't get a metaphor." _Oowada continued to get into Ishimaru's face._  
_"_Maybe so, but in this semblance of chaos, we should at least create order. We may have to spend the rest of our lives in here."  
_" _I don't know about you, but I am NOT spending the rest of my life in here.I got too many promises to keep."  
_"_Hey, Fukawa!"_ Ishimaru suddenly shouted from in front of the laundry room. _"You've been hearing our dispute for the last few minutes, can't you agree that I'm right?"  
_"_Wwhhhaat?"_ Fukawa protested. "_Can't you see I'm following my White Knight?"  
_"_I think you mean 'stalking'." _Oowada said.  
"_Oooooo, BURN!"_ Naegi shouted from the cafeteria.  
"_Shut up!"_ Fukawa protested.  
"_Naegi! Why are you still wearing your hood?"_ Ishimaru pointed out. "_You must take it off immediately!"  
_"_Because I felt like it!"  
_"_Hey, man. Lay off him. Is his hood really the worst of our problems?"  
_"_No, but it's a solvable one! And we must start by solving the problems that we can." _Ishimaru marched up to Naegi and was about to yank off the hood off Naegi's head...  
"_Hands off the hood, Ishimaru."_ Maizono growled so threateningly that it compelled Ishimaru to stop.  
"_You are something else, man, you know that!"_ Oowada said.  
"_It's not my fault. It is unacceptable to wear hoods indoor."  
_"_You know what, if my jacket had a hood on it, I would be wearing it too. So shut up!"  
_"_But your jacket does not have hood with it. Naegi's does,and he should take it off immediately!"  
_"_If he wants to leave it on, he should be able to." _Oowada countered as he marched over to Ishimaru.  
"_No."  
_"_Yes."  
_"_No."  
_"_Yes."  
_"_No."  
"Yes."  
"No."  
_. And suddenly Ishimaru and Oowada went quiet. Fujisaki sunk down into the chair out of fear. Celeste smirked. Togami and Fukawa both felt the need to request earplugs next time they saw Monokuma.  
"_STOP ARGUING ABOUT NAEGI'S HOODIE OR SO HELP ME I'LL BASH YOUR HEADS TOGETHER!"_ Maizono shouted, shaking her fists at them. "_IF HE WANTS TO WEAR IT_, _HE'S GONNA WEAR IT! YOU GOT THAT!"  
_"_Woah, uh, Maizono, you wanna dial it back there?"_ Naegi hesitatingly asked.  
"_Fine. I was just a little peeved at them."_ Maizono admitted.  
"_A little peeved?"_ Togami commented. Maizono shot him a death glare.  
"_Well, I think it's time I go somewhere else."_ Maizono said airily as she walked out of the cafeteria.  
Naegi followed after her.  
"_Sorry about that. I think the stress of this situation might be getting to her a teeny bit." _Naegi admitted, as he backed out of the cafeteria.  
"_A teeny bit?"_ Fukawa noted Naegi's choice of words as Naegi left the scene.  
"_So... does anybody else want to explain what just happened?" _Ishimaru said.  
"_Yeah, man. I think we've learned something here. Don't touch Naegi's hood." _Oowada said.  
"_You're both dumbasses."_ Celeste said.  
"_Hey you guys, what did I miss?"  
_"_Oh, it's only the model."_ Fukawa said.  
"_At least I AM a Camelot."_ Enoshima snarked. "_Unlike you."  
_"_What the HELL are you talking about?" _Fukawa asked.  
"_Hey, hey, I'm the one with the Knight motifs here." _Celeste pointed out.  
. Togami pushed his spectacles up. This conversation could get very interesting. The more he heard from his classmates, the more he could understand them, and the more he could predict their movements and their tendencies.  
"_What the hell are you girls referencing?"_ Oowada said.  
. It was Fujisaki who answered, a little bit timidly. _"You've never seen Monty Python?"  
_"_Monty Python? Who likes that show?_" Togami asked.  
"_The Beatles did. Both John Lennon and George Harrison were massive fans." _Leon had arrived_. "So who here is a Monty Python fan?"_ Enoshima, Celeste and Fujisaki raised their hands.  
"_Why?"_ Leon said.  
"_Because I'm a fan of European media."_ Celeste said.  
"_Because people kept slyly insulting me with the It's only a model' line and I was determined to find out where it was from."_ Enoshima admitted.  
"_Because I thought it was a tutorial about the Python coding language."_ Fujisaki admitted.  
"_Wait a minute, Fujisaki, there's a type of programming called 'Python'?_" Leon said.  
"_Yeah. I was determined to learn how to code in Python and I stumbled across 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail' because I thought it was a Python tutorial and I absolutely loved it_."  
"_Well, I gotta say, that's the strangest way ever to discover it, but definitely the most interesting." _Leon observed.  
"_Yeah, my dad was a bit weirded out when I started strutting around the house with silly walks and having this exchange with him.  
_"_**'I'm learning how to program.'  
**__**'In what language?'  
**__**'Python. Monty Python.'"  
**_"_So why are you interested in it, Leon?"_ Enoshima asked.  
"_Well, if half of the Beatles have recommended a television program, it's worth checking out." _Leon said.  
"_I see." _Celeste said.  
"_Well, I have no idea who this 'Monty Python' is. And I don't really care. I am outta here." _Oowada said.  
"_It's time for me to go too. I feel I should take a nap. Remember to be in the cafeteria at 4:30 today!" _Ishimaru said as he trudged back to his room.  
"_You guys are all too weird." _Togami said, adjusting his glasses._ "And it's time I take my leave back to my room. Goodbye." _Togami left, with Fukawa tailing behind him before entering her own room.  
"_We're all prodigies. Prodigies are weird." _Fujisaki resumed eating Doritos and drinking Mountain Dew. The programmer paused for a moment. _"You know, did he ever get his Luwack coffee?" _Fujisaki asked.  
"_You know what, I don't think he did." _Celeste said.  
"_And he also meant to ask Leon how to get rid of a stalker." _Fujisaki commented.  
"_What?!" _Leon said._ "What's this about a stalker?"  
_"_Fukawa's stalking Togami." _Celeste commented.  
"_Why?"_ Leon asked.  
"_That's exactly what Maizono said." _Celeste replied.  
"_So, Leon, what were you doing?" _Enoshima asked, hurriedly, trying to change the subject_.  
_"_Well, I was in the gymnasium. Kirigiri is STILL trying to figure out how Monokuma appears seemingly out of thin air. Asahina and Oogami were in there too." _Leon replied.  
"_Wait a minute." _Celeste begin rattling off the names of everyone in here_. "Me, Fujisaki, Leon, Enoshima, Naegi, Maizono, Kirigiri, Asahina, Oogami, Fukawa, Togami, Ishimaru, and Oowada. That's only thirteen of us who have been seen today."  
_"_Who are we missing?" _Fujisaki asked.  
"_Yamada and Hagakure." _Leon said.  
"_You don't think the two of them ..." _Enoshima started.  
"_I doubt it." _Celeste said.  
"_What makes you say that?"  
_"_Hagakure is such an idiot that I'm pretty sure he still thinks this is all a prank, so he'll be fine." _Celeste said._ "But I can't speak for Yamada."  
_"_I'm sure Yamada's fine." _Leon said.  
. Just then, they heard shouting.  
"_I don't give a flying frick that you think I'm ' a kawaii princess'! STAY THE HELL AWAY FROM ME!"  
_"_Or not." _Leon joked.  
"_Oh, dear. This isn't going to end well." _Celeste gasped. "_You think she'll slap him?"_ She asked Enoshima.  
"_Eh, probably."  
_"_Probably? With all that yelling? I would think it would be inevitable."  
_. In front of the dorm rooms, Naegi was frantically doing his best to calm Maizono down to almost no avail, who was absolutely seething at Yamada. Yamada was not helping.  
"_Master Makoto Naegi, what is wrong with trying to compliment a girl?" _Yamada was saying.  
"_It wasn't the compliment itself, Yamada. It was the timing and the whole sleazeball delivery._" Naegi replied, as he was trying to box out Maizono from tearing Yamada to shreds.  
"_But what was so wrong with either of those?" _Yamada said.  
"_Never interrupt a girl's thoughts when she's ready to dismember someone!"  
_"_But-"  
_"_Yamada, I suggest you leave!"  
_Yamada put his head down silently and departed.  
"_Good riddance." _Maizono pouted.  
"_Maizono, when's the last time you actually slept?" _Naegi cautiously asked.  
"_I-i-i-i-i-i"  
_"_And there's my answer. Come on, to bed with you, off you pop."  
_Maizono gave Naegi her huge-eye look that she used to get anything she wanted.  
"_Do you think you could..."  
_"_No." _Naegi said completely deadpan.  
"_What? You didn't even let me finish!"  
_"_I know what you were going to ask. I said 'No'."  
_"_Why?" _Maizono asked innocently, taking Naegi's hands into her own.  
"_Because."  
_"_Alright." _Maizono pouted slightly as she trudged to her room.  
"_Wow, dude." _Leon commented to Naegi. Naegi jumped slightly.  
"_Leon! Fujisaki! When did you get here!?"  
_"_We saw the whole thing." _Leon said, munching on Fujisaki's Doritos.  
"_What the?"  
__"Yeah." _Fujisaki concurred.  
"_So you saw the whole thing?" _Naegi sheepishly asked.  
"_Well, we heard the **'I don't give a flying frick that you think I'm ' a kawaii princess'! STAY THE HELL AWAY FROM ME!' **and came jogging over because of it. Well, I came jogging over. Fujisaki strolled."  
_"_So Fujisaki can't exactly move as fast as an athlete. Big surprise."  
_"_HEY!"  
_"_Eh, calm down, We're just messing with ya." _Leon said, nooging Fujisaki.  
"_Never mind that, could you explain why you two decided to come over?"  
_"_We were bored. It seemed that Yamada would be involved and we were trying to account for everyone." _Leon explained.  
"_Everyone?" _Naegi asked._ "What do you mean?"  
_"_I mean, everyone except Hagakure has now been seen alive." _Leon said._  
_"_Everybody **except** Hagakure? Seriously? You don't think ..."  
_"_Celeste doesn't seem to think so. We've only been trapped in this for about a day."  
__"Still, should we try and do something about it?" _Fujisaki proposed the suggestion.  
"_It's Hagakure. I'm sure he'll show up sauntering about. If he doesn't show up at 4:30, then we'll start getting concerned."_ Leon replied.  
"_Alright."  
_. Just then, Asahina came sprinting over with Kirigiri not far behind, panting out of breath.  
_"I heard yelling, what happened?" _Asashina appeared worried.  
"_Yy-eah. What happened?"_ Kirigiri was almost doubled over. She had never sprinted so hard before in her life.  
"_You ran in heels. You really are Blaze the cat, Kirigiri."_ Naegi snarked.  
"_Shut up, Naegi. What happened?"_ Kirigiri looked majorly annoyed as she used the wall to steady herself.  
"_Well, Yamada was acting like a sleazeball."_ Naegi admitted.  
"_How so?"  
_"_He saw that Maizono was getting peeved at him, but couldn't take a hint."  
_"_And?"  
_"_Well, I don't think Yamada asking how I managed to land such a 'kawaii princess' helped Maizono's mood at all."  
_"_Where's Maizono?" _Asahina asked. "_She's not going to go after Yamada, is she?"  
_"_I don't think so." _Naegi said_. "I mean, she was lacking in sleep."  
_"_That's not surprising." _Enoshima walked up._ "She didn't get any sleep last night. She woke me up at 2 AM because she was still so jumpy."  
_"_Jumpy? Just in general jumpy? Or Jumpy about something in particular?" _Naegi asked.  
" _She was just jumpy." _Enoshima said.  
_"I think there's nothing more for us to do here."_ Leon admitted._ "Hey, Fujisaki, wanna head back to the cafeteria?"  
_"_I guess so."  
_"_I think I'm going to back to the gymnasium, Sakura is still there." _Asahina said as she departed.  
"Actually, _Naegi, there was a particular reason why Maizono didn't get any sleep." _Enoshima admitted to Naegi.  
"_Oh, what is that?" "  
__"I'm staring at the reason right now."  
_"_What?"  
_"_I said 'I'm staring at the reason right now.'"  
_"_Yeah. Okay." _The words took a moment to register._  
_"_Naegi, what's wrong?"  
_"_It's nothing. I'm going to go into my room now."  
_"_Naegi?" _Enoshima asked as Naegi opened and shut the room to his door.  
"_Enoshima, why did you tell him?" _Kirigiri asked as she stood straight up.  
"_Well, Maizono was never going to tell him herself." _Enoshima explained._ "And it's better he hear this now rather than later."  
__"What makes you say that?" _Kirigiri said.  
"_Because this situation is only going to get more and more unpleasant. I might as well get that out of the way now so it doesn't come back to bite him later. Look at this way, it's a card Monokuma no longer holds."  
_"_I see. And I wonder what Naegi's reaction to that will be. He may not take this as well as you think he will."  
_"_We will see."  
_"_Yes, we will."  
_"_I'll see you later, Kirigiri." _Enoshima said as she walked past her to her room.  
. While Celeste had eavesdropped on Enoshima's words, Naegi was slumped against his bedroom wall. His head was against his knees.  
_**"Maizono couldn't sleep last night just because I was decked! Guys get decked all the time! Why should I be any different? And that was just a situation I practically walked away from! What would her reaction would be if I got seriously wounded or even murdered? Would she go on a rampage of destruction inside this school? Who could calm her down?"**_

\- AUTHOR NOTE: Please go ahead and leave a review or recommend this to fellow fans. I want to hear the reactions from readers.


	8. The Female Factor

Chapter 8:

Kirigiri was rather quick to find the piece of paper in the classroom.  
"_What have you got there, Kirigiri?" _A voice broke the silence. It was Togami.  
"_Ah. It's nothing."_ She replied in as monotone voice as possible.  
"_Doesn't sound like it's nothing."  
__"Well, I have to confirm what's on the paper. See if it's true or not."  
__"Oh, so you're holding a card here. An element over the rest of us."  
__"If that's how you want to put it, fine."  
__"I intend to find out what's on that piece of paper, Kirigiri."  
__"Well, as of now, you have unlimited time to do that. But if it's true, you'll find it out anyway."  
__"What do you mean by that?"  
__"I mean, after I confirm the state of its veracity, you'll know."  
__"Question: What would have happened if I hadn't seen you find that piece of paper?"  
__"Why are you bothering asking? You know that I know about it. Are you trying to assess how much of a threat I am?"  
_. Togami's eyes narrowed. She wasn't giving him any ground. He didn't meet many people like that. There was almost nothing to work with here. He had no idea what Kirigiri's talent could be. He had never met her before this situation. This was their first real conversation so far, and he couldn't read her. If he was going to win this game, he needed to be able to read everybody. For instance, he could read that Fukawa was obsessing over him. He could read that Maizono would do just about anything Naegi asked. He could read that Oowada probably had family issues which lay at the heart of his temper.  
. Ishimaru probably studied a lot as child and didn't bother to make friends because he felt his studies were too important. Fujisaki had a slight inferiority complex while Celeste had a slight superiority complex. Enoshima had only been pretending to be a dumb blonde. Yamada had no desire to make friends unless they agreed with him on everything including his perverted sense of humor.  
. Hagakure had lost touch with reality, and Leon was a bit of a slacker. Asahina was a busybody, always had to be doing something, which made it not unusual that she had formed a friendship with the reserved mass of muscle known as Oogami.  
. And as for Naegi? He was one of those evolving types, that hero type that became stronger under increased stress. Naegi would either be Togami's greatest ally, or his biggest obstacle. But still he couldn't read Kirigiri. What was she? How much of a wild card was she?"  
_"Something wrong, Togami?"  
__"Ah. It's nothing."  
__"Doesn't sound like nothing."  
_Kirigiri smirked at her remark.  
_"Ah." _Togami thought. "_So she has a flare for making witty comebacks. Depth in the intelligence department at the least." _Togami made a mental note about Kirigiri's words.  
Just then, Togami spotted a pair of books.  
_"Alright then, Kirigiri. Go and confirm whatever is on that paper."  
_Kirigiri noted the sudden change in demeanor. It seemed like Togami was going to wrestle the paper from her. Now he was letting her go without incident.  
_"What are you going to do with those books?"  
__"What am I going to do with these books? I'm going to read them of course. I have to keep myself entertained after all. For now at the very least."  
__"You make it sound like you have no intention of spending the rest of your life here."  
__"I don't. Do you?"  
__"Of course not."  
__"Good. That's what I like to hear."  
_. Maizono slept rather peacefully all things considered. Her dreams weren't making any sense though. There were in the classroom Maizono had woken up on their first day here.  
**"_Thank you, Naegi. Thank you for everything."  
_"_Maizono, what are you talking about? I didn't do anything. It was all you. All of it was you."  
__"We both know that's a lie."  
_"_How so?"  
__"You helped me through all of this. This whole ordeal. If it weren't for you, I would never have been able to cope with what happened."  
_. She sensed that Naegi's expression hardened. "_Yeah. Alright. If you insist. But it's what I do."  
_"_Well, even so, you've done it quite well. Even if the reason you're able to do it ..."  
_"_Enough about that. I'd rather you not bring that up."  
__"But what happened wasn't your fault."  
__"I know that."  
__" I mean, it should never have happened. Did they ever consider your feelings on the matter?"  
__"I know."  
__"It just wasn't fair. Why should you be forced into that because your talent of Luckster is somehow less authentic than the rest of ours?"  
__"I said I know, Maizono! Now, can we please drop the subject?"  
__"Sorry."  
_**_**"It's okay. None of it was your fault."**  
_. Maizono suddenly slightly woke up, but the dream was fading away fast, and all she was left with was faint impressions of a somewhat, pleasant dream.  
"_Bring up what, Naegi? And the Luckster is just as legitimate of a talent. Who would ever consider it anything but? I know I wouldn't."  
__**. And what was this ordeal that was brought up? Was it just this situation? Her head slightly ached, as though she was struggling to remember something that should have been there, but wasn't. She looked down and realized she had slept in her clothes. She knew she shouldn't have done that, but she didn't really care.  
**_. She checked her clock. It was almost time for the meeting. She went outside and ran into Togami on the way to the cafeteria.  
"_Hey Togami."  
_"_Hey, Maizono."  
__"Why aren't you hanging off of Naegi?"  
_"_I don't revolve completely around Naegi. There are other people here.  
_"_You could have fooled me."  
_. At this point, Maizono noted the pair of books under Togami's arms.  
"_Togami, what have you got there?"  
_"_What I have here are both volumes of H.G. Wells' 'An Outline of History.'"  
__"Wait, there's a library in here?"  
__"No. Not on this floor anyway. I actually got these from one of the classrooms."  
__"I had no idea Wells also wrote history in addition to being a director."  
__"No, that's Orson Welles. H.G. Wells is the one who also wrote 'The World of the Wars'. Orson Welles is the one who DIRECTED IT. Funny fact, the two did actually meet each other once."  
__"Seriously?"  
__"October 28th, 1940. But now, the more pressing question is how do you know about Orson Welles?"  
__"I am kinda a film buff." _Maizono sheepishly admitted. _"I watched a lot of in-flight movies or on the tour buses in between gigs, and my manager was always saying I should watch some good old classic movies."  
__"Is that so? But why Orson Welles?"  
__"It's what my manager recommended, and besides what else do you think I was going to do en route? Play Monopoly?"  
__"Monopoly? I love Monopoly. It's my second favorite board game behind chess."  
__"Of course, it would be one of your favorite board games. Are you coming to the meeting at 4:30?"  
__"Tentatively. I don't see why not. I'm just going to drop these books off in my room. One of you might actually have something worthwhile to say."_ He said as his back faded from Maizono's view.  
"_Eh, considering he's usually an arrogant prick, I thought that conversation went rather well." _Maizono mused. _"I didn't want to deck him this time, so there's that."  
_It was almost 4:30 P.M, and the gymnasium was almost empty except for Monokuma and a student.  
"_You're going to have to. Unless you want it all destroyed."  
_"_I don't want to."  
__"Too bad. I'm leaving you with no choice."  
__"... I guess you leave me with no choice, I will kill someone."  
__"My personal recommendation is Makoto Naegi."  
__"Why? What's he done?"  
__"What's he done is be a thorn in my side."  
__"You mean he's not intimated by you."  
_"_Scratch that, you have to go after him, and you have to go after him now. He's in the cafeteria. That or Enoshima. And if you don't. I'll kill you myself for disobeying your headmaster."  
_. The student was backed into a corner. The consequences of not agreeing with what Monokuma said spelled disaster for close ones outside.  
. Naegi sat alone in the cafeteria, quietly waiting for the meeting to start.  
"_Hey- WAIT! Don't attack me." _It was good thing for him he had become more nimble because he was just barely able to avoid the punch.  
_"Why are you attacking me?"  
__"I am truly sorry, but I have no choice."  
__"You do realize what will happen if you kill me."  
__"You do realize what will happen if I don't kill you."  
__"Fair enough. You don't need to say anymore, but you do expect I am going to fight for my life."  
__"Yes. But you will not survive."  
__"When this is all over, neither will you."  
"I understood that."  
"Then why?"  
"There are other lives whom are more important my own life."  
_Naegi made a break out of the cafeteria. There was safety in numbers, besides if everybody saw what was going on, they could probably help him. He wasn't as nimble as he thought he was as he stumbled out of the cafeteria.  
"_Shit, if that punch lands, I'm not going to make it. AND I'm not out of the radius of the attack yet."_ Naegi closed his eyes. "So this is the end for me."  
_"HOLD IT!"_ A voice shouted. _"Hey, Naegi, want a piggyback ride?"  
__"Enoshima!"_ Naegi was in shock. "_What the hell?" _As she put him on her back.  
_"I heard the ruckus. It's almost time for the meeting."  
_"_And nobody else is hearing this?"  
_"_The rooms are soundproof, ah!" _Enoshima said, as she dodged another punch.  
_"Of course, how could I forget?" _Naegi snarked.  
_"Impressive, we're getting attacked, and you still have your wits about you." _Enoshima replied._  
_"_Hey, I'm getting attacked. You've decided to be an idiot and help me."  
__"What? I've grown fond of you."  
_Enoshima continued to maneuver around the first floor. She found herself backed into the metal gate that barred off the second floor. At this point, people were starting to come out of their rooms.  
_"What the hell!"_ Leon shouted. _"Seriously!"_  
"_Naegi!"_ Maizono had been lost in her own thoughts. But she stared at horror at what unfolded in front of her. She couldn't lose Naegi, she wouldn't lose Naegi.  
_"Holy crap."_ Ishimaru looked amazed. _"Classmate, I beg you, please stop attacking!"  
__"That won't happen." _Enoshima replied.  
_"Been forced into it by Monokuma." _Naegi said. He had no idea if it was true or not, but it was the only reason he could think why the attacker would attempt a murder right now at this very moment with all of these witnesses.  
"_How interesting."_ Togami pushed his glasses up his face. "_I didn't think anybody would be stupid enough to do this at this point in time or in this situation."  
_. Maizono decked him. _"What the hell was wrong with you? THEY'RE GETTING ATTACKED! AND ALL YOU CAN SAY IS 'INTERESTING!' FUCK YOU!"_ Maizono was deadly close to his face. Togami didn't react as Maizono rushed to the kitchen behind the cafeteria.  
. Next thing Enoshima knew, if it hadn't been for her reflexes Enoshima would have been finished, the With a dozen punches, the attacker was alternating punches at her and Naegi. After a dozen punches, or so, the gate that barred the second floor had been broken down, and Enoshima used the attacker's brief window of lost forward control to roll away.  
. Enoshima had to get to the gymnasium. She knew something that could end it all, a trump card that they could activate. The attacker followed them to the gymnasium.  
. Meanwhile, Monokuma's controller was watching extremely interested.  
_"How 'bout that? I didn't expect this. To think that this was matchup would occur. I wonder who wins. How will the rest of them react? This could turn out better than I hope. I needed to get the ball rolling, and what I'm getting is an explosion."  
_. The attacker and Enoshima were still playing cat-and-mouse when they got to the gymnasium.  
. Maizono wasted no time grabbing the biggest knife in the kitchen. She knew what she had to do if necessary.  
_"Where are they?"_ She shouted at Kirigiri.  
_"They went to the gymnasium."_ Kirigiri replied. _**How could someone be attacking in broad 'daylight'? Was what Naegi said about Monokuma putting them up to it true? When did Enoshima show such dexterity?**_  
Maizono rushed over the gymnasium. She flung open the door.  
_"NAEGI!"_

Yes, I do know how this situation is going to resolve itself. Go ahead. Review on who you think it's going to be. (I already know, and it's going to be a whopper.)


	9. Walrus Mercy

Chapter 9:

. Maizono stared at horror at the scene that had played out before her eyes. Naegi was slumped against the bleachers. He appeared passed out, and a little bruised. But for once, Maizono's attention was not on the hooded boy. She couldn't help but stare at what lay in front of her. Suffering from bruises all over, and coughing up blood from the mouth, Enoshima had stabbed Oogami with a giant spear near her appendix. Oogami was also coughing up blood, and other scratches on her shoulders and knees had left blood trailing down her forearms and legs like overflowing rivers throughout her muscles.  
. There was a determined glare in Enoshima's eyes.  
"_You fight well." _Oogami conceded. _"It is not often I find an opponent with such strength of character."_  
"_Same to you. __I guess we'll call this a stalemate." _Enoshima said.  
"_Impressive. You're only the second person I haven't beaten in combat."  
_. Enoshima started coughing up even more blood.  
_"Impressive. Who's the first?"  
_"_My boyfriend."  
__"Why am I not surprised?"  
_. Maizono still couldn't process what her eyes were seeing.  
_"Any minute now. Any minute now. You know, I didn't expect to open this school life of mutual killing with a double knockout."_ Monokuma had appeared next to her. He appeared impatient. "But you know what, a double knockout is probably the most exciting way to open this up. I mean, it's already exceeded my expectations in every way.  
_"What? What?! You are so messed up."  
__"You like those spears? The Spears of Gungnir are a little trump card I have for unruly students."_ Monokuma explained.  
_"Nn-o-o way." _Maizono stammered. Her eyes were getting wider and wider.  
_"Yes, way. I have to some way to maintain order. Did you really think that I wouldn't?"_  
_"Maizono! Maizono!"_ The rest of the class had come rushing over. They stared in shock and awe at the scene in front of them.  
_"Sakura!"_ Asahina shouted as the Enoshima and Oogami collapsed away from each other.  
. Kirigiri immediately rushed over to Enoshima who seemed to be gasping for air. After checking that Naegi was still alive, she joined Kirigiri at Enoshima's side. (He had been knocked out as Enoshima threw him off her back to get him out of the way of Oogami's last punch.) Asahina was at Oogami's side.  
_"Enoshima. Enoshima._" Kirigiri shook her gently.  
_"Kirigiri. Enough."  
__"Come on, don't die." _Maizono pleaded.  
_"Judging from my blood loss, I only have a few minutes left. Can you make a promise?"  
__"Yes, what is it?"  
__"Finish this game. Put an end to this. Get Naegi out."  
__"Any last words you want me to take outside?"_ Kirgiri asked.  
_"Yeah, a few."  
__"What are they?"  
__"I'm sorry for everything. Tell my sister that no matter how much we disagreed in life, no matter how unreasonable she got, I always loved her, and I always will. And I hope she gets her life back together someday." _Enoshima conitnued to breathe heavily.  
"_Kirigiri?"_ Enoshima could only whisper at this point.  
_"Yes, Enoshima." _Kirigiri responded, putting her ear near Enoshima's lips.  
_"Mukuro."  
__"Mukuro. Mukuro who?"  
__"Mukuro Ikusaba."  
__"Is she your sister?" _Maizono asked.  
. Enoshima closed her eyes for the last time, and muttered... _"It was a nice name, wasn't it? It's so nice hearing that name... one last time." _Kirigiri felt her pulse fade away from her wrist.  
_"Yes, I suppose it is." _Kirigiri muttered underneath her breath.  
. To the surprise of most, a cry of **"SAKURA!"** broke the silence.  
_"Seems Oogami's gone too." _Kirigiri noted.  
_"So, they're both gone?"_ Leon hesistantly asked as Asahina started tearing up. _"That's really it?"_  
. And suddenly, a pre-recorded message played on the televisions. "_**Ding Dang Dong. We got a corpse here. We'll be holding a Class Trial pretty soon, so make good use of the time you've got."**_ And then the message repeated itself.  
_"Class trial?" _Togami asked. _"How interesting."  
__"And why did the message repeat twice?"_ Ishimaru said.  
_"Because there are two dead bodies."_ Monokuma explained. "_Now since I don't feel like repeating myself, I'll be back to explain the class trial when he wakes up."_ He said pointing his paw at the unconscious Naegi.  
_"Enoshima's life may have been a joke! But Oogami was certainly the punchline for it!" _Monokuma chortled as he walked out. Asahina clamped a hand to her mouth.  
_"YOU BASTARD!" _Leon shouted. _"I'm gonna to tear you apart limb from limb."  
__"DON'T!"_ Maizono counter-shouted. "_He'll pull one of his spears of Gungnir out and shisk-ke-bob you!"  
__"What?!"  
_. Maizono pointed to the spear that lay in between Oogami and Enoshima's corpse. Everybody turned to look at it.  
_"So that's the murder weapon." _Fujisaki noted.  
_"Indeed that looks to be the case." _Kirigiri said. _"But we're going to need Naegi to wake up soon. He's the one who saw everything that happen first-hand."  
__"I hardly think we'll need him. After all, we saw what went down." _Oowada said.  
_"No, we're going need Naegi. If we want closure, then we're going to have to get what happened from him." _Kirigiri replied.  
_"Maizono, what are the spears of Gungnir?" _Fujisaki asked.  
_"I don't know."_ Maizono replied. "_Monokuma mentioned that he could pull them out on command. He said '__**The Spears of Gungnir are a little trump card I have for unruly students.**__'"  
__"Seriously?" _Leon replied.  
_"D-d-do-o-es anybody recognize what 'Gungnir' even is from?" _Fukawa stuttered. "_I think that's a reference to something."  
__"Well, we'll soon figure it out." _Togami said. _"I'll be back. There's something I need to check out first."  
__"Aw hell, like we're letting you leave."_ Oowada said, cracking his knuckles.  
_"Stand aside, we both know I'm not the murderer." _Togami replied. _"Now, let me leave and go investigate something."  
__"What do you need to investigate outside for?"_ Leon asked. "_The whole scene is right in front of us."  
__"No, it's not."  
__"What do you mean?" _Leon said.  
_"This whole school is the crime scene. Don't you understand that?" _Togami replied. _"Murders can take place anywhere and everywhere within these walls. You really don't think the scope is just limited to see what's in front of you?"  
__"Togami is right."_ Kirigiri said. _"But I'll accompany you to make sure you're not doing something that would endanger the rest of us."  
__"Wwwhhhatttt?" _Fukawa shrieked. _"How dare you, you slinking whore!"  
_. Everybody's mouths opened in shock. Even Togami's. Kirigiri, however, remained unfazed and as cool as a cucumber.  
_"You're more than welcome to come along, Fukawa. An extra pair of eyes can't hurt." _Kirigiri smiled softly._  
_Fukawa's shrieking stopped dead in its track. "_Seriously? You promise me you won't make a move on my White Knight?"  
__"Why would I? He's an asshole. Seriously, the rest of us are trying to figure out what you see in him." _Kirigiri snarked.  
_"How dare you say such things about my White Knight?_" Fukawa replied indignantly, and instantly the mood was lightened a little bit by laughter.  
. Togami sweatdropped.  
_"Yeah, I'll come along. I don't do so well with blood."_ Fukawa said. "_I've been averting my eyes the whole time."  
__"Alright, shall we go then?"  
_"_Where do you think you're going?" _Monokuma reappeared. _"You're supposed to wait here."  
__"You said you would only explain once Naegi wakes up, but we don't know when he's going to wake up." _Kirigiri replied. _"We're being productive in the meantime. And it doesn't take a genius to figure out that we're supposed to figure out what happened."  
__"So what are the rest of us supposed to do?" _Leon asked.  
_"I suppose the first thing to do is the guard the crime scene." _Yamada suggested.  
"_Yeah, that's probably a good thing." _Ishimaru said.  
_"So... who should guard the scene?"_ Fujisaki questioned.  
_"How 'bout Oowada and Ishimaru?" _Leon suggested._ "They're clearly the two with the most strength still alive."  
__"But are you sure that's a good idea?" _Fujisaki said._ "I mean, the two were just arguing not too long ago."  
__"Will you two not please promise not to argue about Naegi's hoodie?" _Celeste snarked.  
"_Fine, 'princess'." _Oowada growled.  
_"Yes ma'am." _Ishimaru saluted.  
Celeste smirked. "_Alright, Yamada. You follow me."  
__"Why me?"_ Yamada asked.  
_"It's best in this situation for nobody to be solo."  
__"I see. What you're saying is that you are evaluating that I'm the least likely to attack you."_ Yamada responded.  
_"Yes. But not in so many words."  
_Leon suddenly had a bright idea._  
_"_Wait a minute, why don't Fujisaki and I investigate Enoshima's room while you and Yamada search Oogami's room?"  
_Celeste stopped._ "Wouldn't that be an invasion of privacy?"  
__"They've been killed. At the very least, I want to know why Oogami suddenly snapped. She didn't seem like to the type who was just out and out suddenly attack Naegi. Especially out in the open like this. And Enoshima doesn't seem to be the type that would put her life at risk for Naegi. I mean, especially considering Maizono is right there, and more than happy to go do that instead." _Leon said, gestering to the blue-haired girl who was holding Naegi's head in her lap.  
_"I get your point." _Celeste pondered. _"Kirigiri did say we would need closure for this."  
__"Alright. That's all well and good." _Fujisaki said._ "But how are we going to get in? Do you think we could ask Monokuma to let us in?"  
__"Nah." _Leon said._ "There's another reason I made that suggestion. Look at this." _Leon had picked up Enoshima's room key.  
_"And Oogami is likely to have hers as well. I see where you're going with this." _Celeste said.  
_"Wait, what are you guys doing! You can't just go riling through Sakura's stuff!" _Asahina objected.  
_"Asahina, we need closure on this." _Celeste said.  
_"You can't. I won't let you." _Asahina said, clutching the key and backing away from everybody. There were tears streaming down her face.  
_"But there might be a clue, Asahina." _Fujisaki said, pleading with her.  
. Asahina shook her head. _"If any of you were dead, would you want them to go through your stuff?"  
__"I can't speak for anybody else here, but yes."_ Leon said. _"Absolutely. I would want them to go through my stuff. I'm dead, it's not like I can use it. I only ask that they treat it with respect and take care of it."  
__"What about you guys? Oowada? Ishimaru?" _Asahina asked.  
_"Hey, if it were to help the rest of ya to figure out who killed me off. Sure. You guys have the green light to do so." _Oowada said.  
_"It would be prudent to allow my classmates access to any resources they need to solve my death." _Ishimaru said.  
"_Aoi, please." _Leon said, holding out his hand_."The key. We need it. Please."  
_Asahina reluctantly handed over the key.  
"_Come on, Fujisaki, let's check out Enoshima's room first."_ Leon said to the timid teenager.  
_"Leon, are we sticking to the original plan where Yamada and I check Oogami's room, and you and Fujisaki check Enoshima's room? " _Celeste asked Leon.  
_"Looks like it."_ Leon replied.  
_"No. If anybody is going to Sakura's room to investigate, it's going to be Leon." _Asahina objected. _"I gave him the key and him only."  
__"Alright, then how about Celeste and I go through Oogami's room, and Yamada and Fujisaki check out Enoshima's room?"_ Leon suggested.  
_"You really want Yamada, of all people, in the model's room?"_ Celeste pointed out.  
_"Right. I see the flaws there._" Leon agreed. "_How about this then? Yamada stays here as a rotation guard for Ishimaru and Oowada. You and Fujisaki check out Enoshima's room, and Aoi and I will take Sakura's room?" _Leon came up with that solution.  
_"Fair enough."_ Celeste said. _"Asahina?"  
__"Yeah, that works." _Asahina said, somewhat dejectedly.  
_"Alright, Fujisaki, are you ready to go?" _Celeste asked the programmer whom was now twiddling thumbs.  
_"Sure."  
_. A little while later, both of the girls' rooms had been thoroughly searched. Celeste and Fujisaki rejoined Leon and Asahina in the gymansium, the door flew open.  
"_Holy shit, dude! Monokuma was right! Ogre and Enoshima really are dead."  
__"Hagakure!" _Maizono was shocked and rightfully so. Where in the world had this guy been?  
"_How dare you call Sakura 'Ogre'?" _Asahina was pissed off.  
_"Hey, that was Monokuma's nickname! Not mine!"_ Hagakure pleaded.  
"_Never mind that. What the hell were you doing?"_ Leon asked, with his arms folded. _"Two of our classmates are dead. So what are you going to do about it?"  
__"I know what I'm going to do! I'm gonna to use my crystal ball to tell ya how they died!" _Hagakure said, making grand sweeping gestures while palming his sphere.  
"_Yeah, well, too bad for you-"_Celeste started, before Leon cut her off.  
_"No. No. I'm curious to see where this goes." _Leon said, waving her off like he often used to do with his catcher. _"Let's see how accurate the Shaman is."  
__"Alright. My crystal ball is telling me that Enoshima and Ogre were actually lovers and this was a lovers quarrel to the death!"  
_. Asahina's eye twitched.  
_" Oh, wow. Is he serious?"_ Ishimaru asked.  
_"For once, we're in agreement."_ Oowada agreed.  
"_Try again, you dumbass, Sakura had a boyfriend." _Asahina seethingly replied.  
_"I once watched this movie called 'Billy Madison'." _Leon said._ "I'm going to quote it for you. 'What you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard... Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.'  
_Hagakure missed the hint and tried again.  
"_They were both part of the conspiracy of this place, and they killed each other because otherwise we would have found out about them!"_  
_"I highly doubt that."_ Leon deadpanned.  
_"Well, then, they were rival members of the Walrus Faction and they were attempt to curry favor with the leader by finishing each other off!"_  
_"Somehow I don't think that's right."_ Fujisaki suggested.  
_"Tell me, Hagakure. Is this 'Walrus Faction' competing with the 'Carpenter Faction'?" _Celeste joked._  
"I don't get it."  
"Ugh. Never mind."  
" Was Oogami attempting to prevent Enoshima from joining up as Monokuma's mole?"  
"If that's the case, then why did Oogami start attacking Naegi?" _Leon continued._  
"Ah. Fair enough. But what if Enoshima was preventing Oogami from attacking Monokuma?"  
"As far we know, Monokuma had nothing to do with this incident until he announced the students' deaths." _Asahina said._  
__"Oh, well, then were they competing for the affections of Naegi?"  
__"Like hell they were!" _Maizono screamed.  
_"Ow, Maizono. My ears. Please."_ Naegi said, clutching the sides of his head.  
_"Oh, wow, the dumbass actually furthered our plot advancement."_ Yamada said.  
_"Well, how 'bout -?"_ Hagakure tried another suggestion.  
_"No. NO MORE."_ Celeste said. _"You have fired six stupid suggestions. You have used up your revolver of ammo. You're not allowed to 'reload' for the seventh crack at it! I didn't think it was possible, but you're even more of a dumbass than Yamada!"_ Celeste said, breathing slightly heavier than normal.  
_"Celeste, that was mean._" Asahina said.  
_"It's okay. I finds myself often-insulting."_ Yamada said.  
_"I meant about Hagakure, not you."_  
_"Oh, wow."_  
_"Anyway_ \- _the suggestion that Naegi gets a harem furthers the plot?"_ Monokuma said, popping up out of nowhere. "_Naegi, do you know what you have to do now? You must hook up with everyone, and I mean everyone."  
__"Even Fujisaki and Yamada?" _Naegi joked, lifting his head off of Maizono's lap for a moment.  
_"Especially Yamada and Fujisaki."  
__"Hahahaha. No."  
__"While I can see that nobody would ever want to hook up with Yamada, what's wrong with Fujisaki, other than the fact that Maizono will be the end of you if  
__you do." _Celeste asked.  
_"I do not care if Naegi doesn't hook up with me. I specialize in only girls of the 2-D variety!" _Yamada stated.  
_"And that statement is all anybody needs."_ Celeste snarked.  
"_Fujisaki is just ... too adorable. I couldn't." _Naegi admitted.  
_"Uh-Naegi. Seriously?"_ The programmer sweat-dropped  
_"Yes, you are. It's insane."  
__"As the personal pinnacle of adorableness, I can second that." _Monokuma raised his paw.  
. Meanwhile, away from Fujisaki's adorableness, Kirigiri and Togami were looking around on the newly-opened second floor. They were in the library.  
"_Ordinarily, I would be investigating the deaths of Oogami and Enoshima. But I think it's pretty obvious that they finished each other off. That being said, we'll still need Naegi to tell everybody what happened when he wakes up."_ Kirigiri explained.  
_"You seemed oddly logical for a high-school girl."_ Togami commented. _"What's your talent anyway?"  
__"If I haven't told anybody else, even Naegi, why would I tell you?"  
__"Ah, I see. Your talent is still a card you want to hold, is that it?"  
__"If that's what you want to believe, go ahead. I won't stop you._"  
. Kirigiri stopped when she saw a piece of paper and a Manila envelope.  
_"Hey, Togami, remember that piece of paper you saw me find?"  
__"Yeah."  
__"Take a look of this."  
_. While Togami and Kirigiri stared at the various pieces of paper laid out in front of them, Fukawa was browsing the fictional section and she was liking what she was seeing.  
_**"Ah. Books, the only thing always guaranteed to relieve some of my anxiety. This library seems to be very good. Even in just the fictional sections, it certainly has a lot of variety. I've already seen Carroll, Doyle, and Joyce."** _Fukawa muttered in thought. She hoped that she would get a chance to maintain access to the library. There seemed to be something for everybody here if she looked hard enough.  
. The three continued their exploration of the library when Naegi came up to the second floor.  
_"Ah, I should have known. I figured you three would be on the library. Monokuma said he's going to explain part 2 now. All three of you will have to come back now."_

AUTHOR NOTE: Please go ahead and leave a review or recommend this to fellow fans. I want to hear the reactions from readers. This is my longest Chapter of the story so far. The 1st trial will start in Chapter 10.


	10. Pieces And Understanding

Chapter 10:

AUTHOR NOTE: My personal life has been extremely rocky, and striving to be my particular major is no easy task. Also, I realize that this is the make or break moment of my story. It's the chapter covering the first trial in-story. While the part leading up to the actual trial went smoothly, the actual trial required several rewrites in order to get the feel just 'right' for my taste. So as always, reviews are heavily appreciated.

Monokuma's explanation was extremely short and to the point.  
_"Now that everybody who is still alive is awake and present. - Naegi."  
"Hey!"  
"You guys have to figure out the death and who caused it. Since you lot already displayed some common sense and empathy by going ahead and investigating the double KO, we're going to cut straight to the trial. Oh, and if you guys don't figure out who was behind the whole ordeal, the rest of you die, and the real purp goes free."  
. _The students' reactions were all cut from the same cloth.  
_"ARE YOU SERIOUS!?  
"What the hell, man?"  
"We would have done it better if we had known."  
_Only Togami remained perfectly unperturbed.  
_"We saw exactly what happened. We know exactly who caused the pair of deaths. If we screw this up, we're a bunch of retards."  
"Yes, but we still should know what happened."_ Kirigiri responded.  
Only Hagakure had a question.  
_"Monokuma, you say that if we get this wrong, the killer goes free and the rest of us get executed."  
"Yeah. Where are you going with this?"  
"Why?  
"Why? It seems we've finally reached my motivations! Finally. I want you to experience DESPAIR!"  
"That's it. That's all?" _Naegi deadpanned. " _Are you serious_? _You want us to experience a single emotion? Did we all agree to follow Togami's example and go cold turkey from emotions during the time we were knocked out?"  
"Makoto Naegi, so help me, I will..."_ Togami interjected before being cut off by Maizono.  
_"You'll do what?" _Maizono said. _"Think carefully."  
"Uhhhhh..." _Monokuma continued. And then, amazingly, Hagakure brought up a good point.  
_ "I mean, what benefit does it have for you? If someone successfully commits a murder, that means your little game is over." _Hagakure pointed out. "_Is there some great philosophical meaning behind it? Are you like, broadcasting this all over the world with the intent to display the fault of humanity? Because you've chosen the worst possible candidates for it, a bunch of teenagers."  
"For an idiot, that's surprisingly deep." _Fukawa twiddled her thumbs.  
_"Holy crap. The shaman is actually making sense!"_ Leon said.  
_"Character depth from the shaman." _Yamada commented. "_My eyes do decieve me."  
"Oh, you're one to talk."_ Hagakure muttered.  
_"ENOUGH!" _Monokuma shouted. "_Go to the pair of red doors on the first floor. I have to get the trial room ready. Oh yeah, if any of you want to check your Student ID-s, you find something for all of you. The Monokuma File! This gets handed out everytime there's a murder."_Monokuma continued before hastily disappearing.  
. And on that odd note, ten of the students walked out of the gymnasium.  
_"Naegi, come on."_ Maizono coaxed.  
_"Do you think you could help me? I'm still a bit weak in the knees from all this."_ Naegi admitted.  
_"Of course. You didn't even need to ask."_ Maizono said, slinging Naegi's arm around her.  
_"Are you going to be able to stand, Naegi?"_ Kirigiri asked. _"Should I ask Monokuma if we can bring a chair to whereever we're headed?"  
"Nah. I think I should be able to stand witness to this." _Naegi said.  
Maizono shot Kirigiri a glare. Kirigiri responded in kind.  
_"Come now, Maizono. We need Naegi for this. He's the lynchpin. After all, he saw the whole thing play out in real time."  
"It was more like quick-time."_ Naegi responded.  
_"Quick-time?"_ Kirigiri asked.  
_"I'll explain later." _Naegi hastily replied.  
. The three of them walked out of the gymansium past the foyer where Peko Pekoyama's award of a golden sword still remained. They passed the crushed gates that had previously cut off the second floor which had been damaged by several swift punches from Oogami. All of three turned left and passed the set of bathrooms and the locked-up infirmary. And as he stared at the sealed windows, Naegi couldn't help but ponder his situation in his head.  
"_**Ten Centimeters. That's all we are away from freedom. Just ten centimeters. Just the width of a perimeter wall from getting out of here. Ten centimeters. Such a short distance, and long trek to get there. And now, two of our number are dead. And I was there. I witnessed it happen right in front of me, and yet ... when it's all said and done... could I have done more?"  
. **_Naegi shut his eyes and kept moving forward, a detail that neither Kirigiri nor Maizono could fail to notice.  
_"Naegi, we're here." _Maizono whispered to him.  
. Naegi opened his eyes. In front of him stood a pair of blood-red double doors. Kirigiri opened the doors to let Naegi and Maizono through. The other ten students were there. Some like Leon and Oowada were fidgeting with anxiety. Celeste remained as cool as a cucumber while Yamada gripped his backpack. Togami kept pushing up his glasses and tapping his foot, ready to go. Ishimaru was stretching his legs. Asahina was leaned against the wall. Her eyes still appeared dead. Naegi briefly wondered if the brightness would ever come back.  
_"DING"  
. _The elevator had arrived. Naegi braced himself.  
. The trial room perfectly reflected Monokuma. The floor was white and black checkerboard like a chessboard. There were upholstered curtains an equal shade of red to the original doors. There were cinematic red carpets leading to some of the students. There were already two signs up, one with Enoshima's face and another with Oogami's face.  
_"Question: If there are fifteen of us, why are there sixteen slots?"_ Kirigiri asked.  
_"The courtroom just happens to sit sixteen people, that's all."_ Monokuma replied.  
_"You're not going to spring some hidden sixteenth student on us, are ya?"_ Leon commented.  
_"Well, including Monokuma, there are sixteenth people here." _Yamada pointed out.  
_"I think it's safe to say that Monokuma's operator is not one of the fifteen original participants.  
_. Togami said. "_Which would make sixteen people accounted for so far."  
__"Alright, Alright." _Monokuma said. _"Let's get to the assigned places. And just so we're clear, the trial is going to be one hundred percent fair. You get it right, you live. Simple as that."_.  
. With the sixteenth space between Asahina and Hagakure, the lineup clockwise went as follows: Hagakure, Fujisaki, Togami, Celeste, Leon, Fukawa,Yamada, Naegi, Maizono, Ishimaru, consecutive markers for Enoshima and Oogami, Kirigiri, Oowada and Asahina.  
_"Oh, wow. When I said I would be able to stand witness for this, Maizono. I didn't think it would be at an actual witness stand."_ Naegi commented.  
_"Snarky as ever, Naegi." _Togami said. _"Why don't we cut straight to the point? What did you see, Naegi?"  
__"First, what are those two markers for, Monokuma?"_ Kirigiri said, cutting across Togami.  
_"Oh, I think it was just be horrible if they were left out just because they were dead. Friendship lasts in death too, don't ya know?"  
__"Hey, guys, can we all agree that the Spears of Gungir are the murder weapons Enoshima and Oogami used to finish each other off."_ Leon postulated.  
_"Yeah/Of Course/Duh."  
__"Spears of Gugnir?" _Hagakure asked. "_I must missed that."  
__"How the hell could you have missed the giant spears?"  
__"Oh, those spears!?"  
__"Yeah, dumbass."  
__"Leon?"  
__"Yes?"  
__"Are you done pointing out the quantity of Hagakure's intelligence?"  
__"Yeah."  
__"Anyway... I was sitting in the cafeteria, eating a sandwich when suddenly Oogami attacked me. She destroyed a couple of tables, and I just kept trying to roll away and not get hit." _Naegi began.  
_"Why were you rolling away?" _Celeste asked.  
_"I can't get hurt if I can't get hit." _Naegi replied.  
_"So why are we able to dodge Oogami's attacks but not Oowada's punch?"_ Ishimaru asked.  
_"Simple. Oowada is faster than Oogami. Oogami is stronger, but she was built for power, not speed." Naegi explained.  
__"That makes sense." _Ishimaru replied.  
_"And then what happened?"_ Leon asked.  
"_Well, as soon as I got out of the cafeteria, Enoshima swooped in and literally carried me on her back."_ Naegi said.  
_"Seriously?"_ Fukawa said. "_Why would the model put herself in danger like that?"  
__"Perhaps it was that she felt she could do something about it."_ Celeste explained.  
_"What do you mean?"_ Asahina said.  
_"I mean, when Fujisaki and I checked out Enoshima's room, we found some self-defense and some military magazines." _Celeste said.  
"_You and Fujisaki checked out Enoshima's room?"_ Kirigiri asked. "_What did you find?"  
__"Not only did we find self-defense magazines, we found that they had been marked up in pen. Apparently she was making corrections to them."_ Fujisaki said. "_It was really strange. I mean, why would a model not only have self-defense magazines but know enough about self-defense to correct experts?"  
__"Well, I mean she is a model. There must be sleazy guys coming up to her all the time." _Yamada said. _" And perhaps a few had hostile intentions."  
__"Wait, if she was that much of a target, why didn't she have a bodyguard?"_Sayaka said._ "I mean, my manager was floating the idea around to our idol group right before I arrived at Hope's Peak Academy."  
__"Is that so?" _Celeste said.  
_"Yeah."  
__"Anyway, let's get back on topic. Enoshima and the self-defense magazines. Why?" _Togami said, attempting to steer the conversation back on track.  
_"I think the more potent question is: how did she get them?" _Kirigiri said. _"I mean, we all brought our stuff in several weeks before the first day."  
__"You guys did?" _Naegi asked. _"Seriously?"  
__"Yeah, Naegi. Did you not bring... anything?" _Maizono said.  
_"No. I didn't. I mean, I live somewhat close to Hope's Peak. And I'm just an ordinary guy, I don't have a fandom that risks bothering me wherever I go. So I was going to live at home most of the time, and only stay at Hope's Peak if I needed to."_ Naegi replied.  
_"Ah. I see." _Leon said_. "Wait, you live this close?"  
__"Yeah, I walked over here on my first day." _Naegi replied.  
_"How pedestrian." _Togami said.  
_"Only when I'm not biking here." _Naegi replied.  
_"Anyway. We're drifting off topic."_ Celeste said. "_We've figured out how Enoshima could have gotten the self-defense magazines. Asahina, and Leon, what did you find in Oogami's room?"  
__"Go on, Asahina, tell them. Tell them the note you found hidden under Oogami's pillow." _Leon said._  
__"I found a motive for Sakura's attack."_ Asahina said.  
Everybody gasped collectively.  
_"It's here." _Asahina said. _"I'll read it aloud for everybody."_

_**"Dear Asahina, I hope you will find this. So I'll address it this to you. I'm sorry. But Monokuma has forced me to be his spy. My entire dojo is at stake. The dojo is my family's legacy. I could not let myself be the one to lose it. In particular, the mastermind keeps suggesting the same person over and over for me to kill. I trust that you would be able to figure it out."**_

_**I apologize, for the moment I knew Monokuma had gained leverage against me, there was no outcome other than my death.**_

_**Sakura Oogami."**_

_"So there you go. That was Sakura's motivation for attacking someone."_Asahina explained.  
_"Are you serious?"_ Togami said._ "I don't believe it. Is there any proof at all that this letter wasn't made up to save your friend's reputation?"  
_"_Dude. I saw Asahina pull out from under Oogami's pillow." _Leon said_.  
__"And how long were the two of you in Oogami's room?" _Togami asked, smirking.  
_"About twenty minutes." _Leon replied, coolly.  
_"And what point in your searching did you find it? Because if you found it immediately, then that has suspicion right all over it." _Togami repiled. _"Who finds something so convenient like that?"  
__"Forget it, Togami." _Naegi said._ "You're wrong. Oogami expressed the same modi operandi when she was attacking."  
__"Oh, don't tell me you're just trying to make Asahina feel better?" _Togami said._  
__"Naegi." _Asahina said.  
_"No. Listen. In the cafeteria, Oogami said to me '  
__**"Why are you attacking me?"  
**__**"I am truly sorry, but I have no choice."  
**__**"You do realize what will happen if you kill me."  
**__**"You do realize what will happen if I don't kill you."  
**__**"Fair enough. You don't need to say anymore, but you do expect I am going to fight for my life."  
**__**"Yes. But you will not survive."  
**__**"When this is all over, neither will you."'  
**__"So that settles it." _Celeste said._ "Oogami chose Naegi at the mastermind's suggestion, attacked Naegi with the express intent of saving her dojo, but when Enoshima stepped in, she changed her target to Enoshima instead. We saw what happened with the fight."  
__"Naegi was the mastermind's suggestion to be killed." _Maizono said._ "Why Naegi? No, seriously, why?"  
__"Yes, that is most certainly curious." _Togami said.  
_"I think this is worth exploring."_ Kirigiri said. _"After all, from here on out, it's not going to be often that we're all together. We should lay all out where the chance for miscommunication is slim."  
__"Says the girl who rarely talks." _Yamada said. _"If you ask me, Anya Alstreim shows more emotion than her."_  
"_Who's Anya Alstreim?"_ Kirigiri asked. "_I don't believe I've ever heard of her."  
_"_Anya Alstreim is from Code Geass. She was introduced in R2 as the Knight of Six, and, if you ask me, probably would have been Lelouch's own Knight of Honor if he and Nunnally hadn't been sent into Japan." _Naegi explained._  
_"_Do you know of Code Geass, Master Makoto Naegi?"  
_"_Of course, I do. I have internet access. As a matter of fact, just chalk it up to the fact that because of the nature of my talent, I didn't spent countless hours honing my skill or hobby, but just exploring around the facets of life."  
_"_Are you so sure?" _Yamada asked.  
"_I'm dead sure."  
_"_I meant about Anya being Lelouch's Knight of Honor."  
_"_Well, yeah. Who else would it have been? Gino? It wouldn't have been Suzaku."  
_"_I concede the point, though the fangirls probably wouldn't ever."  
__"Hold on, I thought we were discussing why Naegi was the target." _Kirigiri said_. "First, a comparison between myself and a Blaze the cat, and now another one to this Anya Alstreim. How is this about me now?"  
__"Isn't everything? Isn't everything about you? Ms. I-Don't-Want-To-Reveal-My-Talent. If you ask me, you're clearly hiding something!" _Fukawa said, waving an accusatory finger at Kirigiri.  
_"What are you implying?"_ Kirigiri said.  
_"What I'm implying is that this whole game is your idea." _Fukawa said.  
_"If this whole game is my idea, why am I a part of it?" _Kirigiri replied.  
_"Maybe you suggested the idea to Monokuma's operator, and then as a sick, twisted idea agreed to let the operator wipe your memory and put you in this game."  
__"Fukawa, you can't go making wild accusations about who the mastermind is this early in the game." _Togami said._ "It's not very sporting."  
__"So we should wait for several more murders to occur."_ Celeste said._ "From a gameplay standpoint, that might be a legitimate __strategy. __But from a practical standpoint, that's not really an option."  
__"I would have thought you of all people, Celeste, would understand, that no matter how high stakes are, this is still a game." _Togami said.  
_"Oh, I intend to still treat this like a game." _Celeste said, smiling. "_But here's where our playing styles differ. You like to simplify everything because you believe you have a natural advantage. I prefer keep things to complex. I find it easier that way."  
__"You mean you find it easier to create solutions to in-game problems." _Togami said.  
_"Yes, it's not just winning a game, but there is as much value in how you win as there. Always having to winning in the same way is quite boring. The more tools and assets you have the more creative you can get in terms of winning. And as far as I'm concerned, we've lost two our of assets from this whole thing."  
__"Is that all Oogami and Enoshima are to you?" _Asahina said. _"Assets?"  
__"Coming from a chick, that's messed up."_ Oowada said of Celeste.  
_"What does that even mean?" _Leon asked, with his arms folded.  
"_That means he can't tell that the girl who dresses in all-black and who sports a fake European accent has a dark morality." _Fukawa said. _"What a poor judge of character."  
__"This is how I normally speak!"_ Celeste said, briefing losing composure, before Ishimaru spoke up.  
_"That is an unacceptable opinion, Celeste. Enoshima and Oogami are not assets. They are our comrades and friends."_ Ishimaru interjected. "_Or at least, they were."  
__"They still are." _Asahina said. "_Now, I can't speak for anyone else, but they are to me."  
__"I was wondering when Ishimaru and Oowada would speak up."_ Togami smirked. _"Have you two settled your petulant little issue of whether Naegi should wear his hood indoors yet?"  
__"Uh... is that really relevant, right now, dude?"_ Hagakure said. _"I mean, Naegi's not wearing his hood rig...ht... now."_ He trailed off as he noticed Naegi had, indeed put up his hood yet.  
_"ENOUGH."  
__"Naegi?"_ Maizono said, hesitantly.  
_"We're drifting off-topic. I'll tell you why I think Monokuma chose me as the target for Oogami to go after."  
__"Why?" _Fujisaki said.  
_"Because I'm the easiest. Because I'm always going to be the easiest. Because compared to the rest of you guys, my personality is almost nothing. It should be swallowed up by everybody else here."  
__"No, Naegi." _Kirigiri responded quietly_.  
__"What do you mean?"  
__"I mean, it's because you're the only one who isn't a known quantity. What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses? What's your breaking point? Everybody else here is a known quantity."  
__"You say that, Kirigiri." _Togami cut over her. "_But we're right back where we were a little while go. We still don't know your talent. Come on, reveal it. Reveal it now." _Togami said, with an outstretched arm.  
_"What are you doing, summoning a trap card?" _Yamada said.  
_"What?"_ Oowada said.  
_"Did anybody else here watch Yu-gi-oh when they were younger?"  
_Everybody else shook their head.  
_"Okay, then. Never mind."  
__"I can't reveal my talent, Togami." _Kirigiri said_.  
__"You say, 'I can't.'" _Fukawa said._ "Then why do I hear 'You won't.'?"  
_Kirigiri sighed.  
_"I'm not the mastermind."  
__"No, of course, you're not." _Togami said. "_I've been thinking. You're really just a bait student, aren't you? Monokuma's operator and you both answer to the true mastermind!"  
__"Byakuya. What good does this endless postulating do us at this point?" _Celeste said. _"As far as I'm concerned, we know what happened, which was the whole point of this 'trial'. Oogami and Enoshima fought hand-to-hand until they reached the gymnasium. There Monokuma gave them the Spears of Gugnir and they finished each other off. I hate to quote Monokuma here, but it was a double knockout. Why don't we finish this trial off?"  
__"But I'm not done yet."_ Togami said.  
_"No, you are not."_ Celeste said, twirling her hair. _"But we're going to be here forever at this rate. At this point, this is just padding and filler. Save it for the next trial."  
__"That assumes that's there going to be next trial." _Ishimaru said. "_Which I doubt very much."  
__"You have too much faith in everybody." _Oowada said.  
_"Ishimaru, I think you're wrong." _Naegi said, quietly. _"I'm willing to bet there will be more murders."  
__"Naegi, don't say that."_ Maizono said.  
_"No, there will be. Leon, Kirigiri, back me up here. That box."  
__"Yeah." _Leon said.  
_"Of course." _Kirigiri said.  
_"I don't trust anything you say!"_ Fukawa interrupted.  
_"We-"  
__"Hmmm"  
__"Well"  
__"Hmmmm!"  
__"Well, you see."  
__"HMMMM!"  
_"_FINE!"_ Kirigiri said, losing her composure slightly. "_Leon, you explain it."  
_"_Alright. You see, Naegi found this box in the entrance hall."  
__"So?" _Maizono asked.  
"_The box had a piece of scotch tape with the words 'Dead Students' ID-s' scribbled on it."  
__"That could have been meant for the ID-s of only the first victim and murderer."  
__"No." _Fukawa said.  
_"Are you actually contributing to this trial?" _Yamada asked incredulously.  
_"Yes, fatty. You see, Oogami actually broke down the gate leading to the second floor during the whole incident, and Kirigiri, my white Knight, and I actually got quick preview of the second floor prior to this trial."  
__"So?"_ Ishimaru said. _"I don't see how that leads to the idea that there will be more murders."  
__"Because there was a staircase to the third floor, and there's nobody else here who could possibly punch the gate down." _Fukawa said.  
_"Oh no." _Maizono said.  
_"Scared, Maizono? Scared that the guys here will take advantage of the pop idol and get one on ya?"  
__"What are you saying, Fukawa?"  
__"I'm saying if that happens, you totally deserve it." _Fukawa smirked.  
_"Fukawa. I'm only going to say this once. But shut the hell up." _Naegi said, with deadly stoicism. "_In here, nobody deserves anything that happens to them."  
__"Naegi?" _Maizono said.  
_"We know how exactly how everything went down. Let's end this trial." _Naegi said.  
_"Wait, something doesn't make sense._" Fujisaki muttered. _"But I can't place my finger on it."_

_AUTHOR'S END NOTE: I wrote the Kirigiri-to-Anya comparision several chapters back, (a little bit after I finished the Kirigiri-to-Blaze comparision) but was never able to find a proper place to put it in. Coincidentally, that's where the chapter's length really took off. (And by took off, I mean, there was enough and the creation of ideas to almost double the chapter's length.)_


	11. NaeZoning to A T

_Chapter 11_

_From here on out the chapters should get longer. That being said, I have to write further and further into the story before releasing, and reviews are heavily appreciated._

_"I really hope we don't lose people at this rate. I mean, we've only been here for what? Three days?" _someone said.  
_"Crap." _Oowada said_. "I think you're right."  
"Oh boy." _Naegi commented_.  
"What do you mean, Naegi?" _Maizono asked._  
"I mean, guys. Stop and think about this. Would every trial we have be this obvious or this easy?"  
"Naegi..."  
"No, listen. What happens if there's a murder and the culprit actually makes it to here?"  
"We'll just figure it all out then." _Maizono replied._  
"Yes, but what's our learning curve?" _Celeste asked_. "The questions that need to be asked are 'how fast can we adapt?' and 'how complex could a potential culprit adapt to murdering'?"  
_Silence ricocheted throughout the group._  
"So what do we do now?" _Togami asked._ "Should we stay and continue to discuss matters or should we adjourn?"  
"How about we take a break?" _Leon suggested_. "I get the feeling that the second floor has been 'officially' opened. What if we explore that now?"  
"Alright. Is that agreed upon by everybody?" _Celeste said._  
_Everybody who spoke agreed, and headed towards the elevator. Only Kirigiri remained._  
"Kirigiri, come on!" _Naegi asked._  
"You guys, go ahead." _Kirigiri said_. "I'm sticking around here for a little bit."  
"Don't you want to explore the second floor, chick?" _Oowada asked._  
"Not yet."  
"Well, we can't leave you behind." _Fujisaki said._  
"If I'm by myself, then there's really nothing that can go wrong." _Kirigiri pointed out._ "No seriously, what could possibly happen?"  
"You say that, bbbuuttt seriously, you're still so mysterious. Why should we trust you?" _Fukawa pointed out._  
"Then I'll shall stay behind." _Ishimaru offered._ "Does everybody trust me?"  
"You're a little weird. But yeah, I trust you." _Oowada said._  
"Alright, Kirigiri." _Ishimaru said, as he stepped out of the elevator.  
"_Fair enough." _The doors of the elevator snapped shut.  
_"Think it will be locked behind them?" _Ishimaru asked of the red doors.  
_"Probably."  
__"Kirigiri, what's your aim for all of this?"  
__"My aim is to understand Monokuma a bit better."  
__"You know, you may not find anything."  
__"I know that. But I have to try."  
__"Yes. We know that."  
_. Ishimaru folded his arms somewhat expectantly. Kirigiri began by checking all of the doors that lead away from the trial room. She pressed her ear against one of them. She could almost hear the whizzing of ... a pitching machine.  
_"Ishimaru, press your ear against this door. What do you hear?"  
__"Some sort of machine. My guess is, it has a wheel."  
__"It's a pitching machine."  
__"A pitching machine? Why would Monokuma have a pitching machine?"  
__"I don't know."  
_. Kirigiri tried the handle again.  
_"It's locked."  
__"Kirigiri, perhaps we ought to not to look around. I mean, what if something happens?"  
__"If something happens, it will be the fault of Monokuma. Not one of us."  
__"Hey, Kirigiri. I just thought of something."  
__"What is it?"  
__"Will the elevator come back for us?"  
__"What do you mean?"  
__"I mean, we might be trapped."  
__"What?"  
__"I mean, we might be trapped!"  
__"I doubt it."  
__"How can you be calm about that?"  
__"I don't know."  
__"Some girl you are."  
__"Hey. It's just who I am. I've never been one to express my emotions so easily."  
__"Indeed."  
__"And neither have you."  
__"What?"  
__"I can tell. You've spent your entire life studying. You follow the rules to the letter. You're the type to have normally said 'A student is a professional learner.'"  
_Ishimaru nodded. _"And what's wrong with that?"  
__"But all that's changed now. Between Naegi nearly getting knocked out and the deaths of two of our classmates, even you've had to change your approach to life some what."  
__"That's not true."  
__"But it is true. My guess is you've spent most of your free time wondering how you can interact with your classmates better, practicing the ability to have normal conversations and trying to make friends. It would explain the debate with Oowada about Naegi's hoodie. You were attempt to 'joke' around with Oowada. In truth, if someone else had wanted to explore the trial room, you wouldn't have volunteered to stay behind."  
__"Why?" _Ishimaru queued.  
_"Because I'm a person of a few words, and not much ever needs to be said when interacting with me."  
__"Kirigiri?"  
__"Yes, Ishimaru?"  
__"How can you read people so well?"  
_. Kirigiri blinked. _"I'm not sure. I just can."  
__"Sounds like something is missing."  
__"A lot of things are missing."  
__. _While the two spent the next hour and a half searching the trial room for any hidden mechanisms and rooms, most of the students with the exception of Naegi and Maizono were in the cafeteria.  
_"I don't understand this." _Celeste said. _"Why must we wait for Ishimaru and Kirgiri to come back before exploring the second floor?"  
_"It's too be sporting." Togami said, pushing up his glasses. "After all, it's hardly fair if everybody doesn't get a chance to look at it the same time."  
_"Well, that's rich. Considering you're one of the people who got a look at the 2nd floor before the 1st trial."_ Oowada pointed out.  
_"W-we-e only got a look at the library though." _Fukawa pointed out.  
_"Still more the rest of us got." _Asahina said.  
_"So, there's a library. Hopefully, there's a book I can use to brush up on my C-ing." _Fujisaki said.  
_"Seeing?_" Yamada commented. _"Fujisaki, do you need some reading glasses?"  
__"No. C. As in the C-programming language."  
__"Hey, guys, do you think there's still any chance we can get help from the outside?" _Hagakure said_.  
__"I doubt it."_ Celeste said. _"It is most unfortunate though. I do not wish to live in this place any more than the rest of you. But I'm willing to adapt."  
__"With two of our number dead, it's not really feasible to clean to the idea that outside help will come. It think it's safe to say we've reached the point of no return. We'll have to do our best to see the end of this." _Togami said.  
_"Said by both of the people who only see the rest of us as assets."_ Asahina seethed.  
_"Clearly, you don't understand anything, Asahina. People are their own greatest assets. That's always been the case. If it weren't, we as a species would not have survived."  
__"So the question becomes 'Why is the mastermind trying to turn the assets of people into liabilities'?"_ Celeste said.  
_"You catch on fast. Your brain is surprisingly adept." _Togami smirked.  
"_I try."_ Celeste said. _"But we all know that** your** brain is the most adept out of anybody here." _Her voice hinted at sarcasm for the second sentence.  
_"Where are Kirigiri and Ishimaru?"_ Fukawa said, cutting off Celeste.  
_"Wait a moment, so are Naegi and Maizono enjoying the some 'time' together?"_ Leon said, chuckling.  
. Fukawa bit her thumb. "_Only you would come to that conclusion."  
__"What?"  
__"What are you implying?"  
__"What are YOU implying?"  
_. Hagakure put his hand to his forehead.  
_"So... where are Naegs and 'Zono anyway?"  
__"Naegs and 'Zono?"_ Asahina said.  
_"Oh, why don't we just ahead and combine it to Naezono?" _Togami snarked. "_It's not like the two will ever do anything important in this game independently each other."  
_Oowada opened his left eye. _"Lucky bastard."  
__"Yeah... wait, No, No."_ Fukawa twiddled her thumbs.  
_"Hey, I thought you made your name with your romance novels."_ Leon said.  
_"Yeah. What's your point?_" Fukawa responded.  
_"So why are you opposed this?"  
__"Because I always made sure to make my characters as well-rounded and three-dimensional as possible. Often times I gave them enough personality for two or more people! What personality do either Naegi or Maizono have?" _Fukawa said.  
_"Have you even been paying attention to EITHER of them?" _Leon asked.  
_"She's just upset because it's happening to Naegi and Maizono, not her and Togami."_ Asahina said, her smile was starting to return slightly.  
_"Grrrr."_ Fukawa growled.  
_"Is that a smile?"_ Leon teased.  
_"Yeah."_ Asahina quietly responded.  
_"It's good to see it again."  
__"ARGH."_ Fukawa clutched her head.  
_"What's her problem?" _Hagakure asked.  
_"Beats me."_ Yamada said.  
_"Oh wow, you two don't really get females at all."_ Celeste sighed.  
_"No, it appears they do not." _Fujisaki agreed.  
. At the same time, Maizono and Naegi were on their way to exploring the A/V Room.  
_"Maizono, what good is exploring this room without Fujisaki?"  
__"Naegi, this is the only room on the first floor Enoshima and I didn't explore."  
__"Why?"  
__"I don't know. Enoshima just didn't want to explore it."  
__"Huh. Is that so? Wonder why."  
__"That's why we should go in there now."  
__"Hey, Maizono?"  
__"Yes?"  
__"Is the A/V Room even unlocked?" _Naegi bit his lip. While it had been locked before the 'entrance ceremony', it had been unlocked before the first trial. There was always the chance that Monokuma had locked it again. So as long as Monokuma controlled what their access to the school was, there was an outside chance he could only get one look at any 'unusual' rooms. And if he only got one look into it, he wanted it to at least have Fujisaki there to study the computers inside, along with the ElectroIDs.  
_"Well, Naegi, there's only one to check, now isn't there?" _Maizono winked.  
_"I guess so."  
__"What are you so nervous about?"  
__"I don't know."  
__. _The two walked to the A/V Room._  
__"Is it unlocked?"  
__"Yes."  
__"Alrighty, then. Let's go in."  
__. _Considering all the build-up that the A/V Room had been given, it seemed oddly underwhelming to Naegi. Maybe it was because it had been under-cut by Naegi being in there a previous time, but it seemed the same as ever. As he gazed over a minature landscape of computers, and a projector, there wasn't really anything different.  
_. _Maizono, however, had noticed a box. In it were labelled Cds with everybody's names on it, including hers, Naegi's, Enoshima's, and Oogami's. She would have to come back later and watch them by herself. Without Naegi.  
_"Maizono. Maizono?" _Naegi asked.  
"_It's nothing, Naegi. It's nothing at all."  
__"Alright. If you say so."  
__"Come on, I don't know what Enoshima was so worried about. There's nothing here."  
_. While all of this was happening, and though Kirigiri and Ishimaru did find a fair amount of speakers and a few cameras that appeared to be de-activated, lined up on the perimeter of the wall, there appeared to be nothing else. Kirigiri stamped the carpet in several places with her heels and none of them came up with anything until she kicked a wall at a certain spot.  
_"Ishimaru, there's something else here."  
__"What?"  
__"I found a room connected to the trial room. It's got a bed, a mini-fridge stocked up with food, and an adjacent bathroom."  
__"Kirigiri, what are you doing?"  
__"Ah. Fully functional water. I had no idea the plumbing of Hope's Peak Academy extended this far down."  
__"How far down are we?"  
__"I don't know. But judging from that elevator ride, it's quite a ways down."  
__"I see. Now that we've found everything, let's head back."  
__"I suppose you're right. Come on."  
_. While Kirigiri and Ishimaru were heading back to the now-opened elevator, they failed to notice that one of the cameras had moved. Suddenly, the elevator snapped shut behind Ishimaru.  
_"Kirigiri. Kirigiri!"_ Ishimaru began pound on the elevator door while he felt the elevator rise.  
. He was still pounding on the door when it opened again. Naegi and Maizono heard Ishimaru first.  
_"Ishimaru! I thought you were with Kirigiri!"  
__"I was. But the elevator shut on me before Kirgiri got on board."  
_. The color drained out of the faces of Naegi AND Maizono. And suddenly the rest of the group came over.  
_"What's going on?"_ Togami demanded. "_Where is Kirigiri Kyoko, Kiyotaka Ishimaru? Don't tell me you already murdered her?"  
"But I didn't!"_ Ishimaru replied.  
_"What happened?"_ Celeste asked.  
_"You son of a bitch. You left her down there to die, didn't you?!"_ Oowada began crackling his knuckles.  
_"No... I didn't!"_ Ishimaru replied.  
_"Enough everybody. What. Happened?"_ Leon asked.  
_"Kirigiri and I were exploring the trial room. We had just finished and I had gotten into the elevator, when it snapped shut and automatically brought me up."_ Ishimaru said.  
_"That seems oddly suspicious."_ Fukawa said. "_You left the mysterious girl alone. Perhaps you're her accomplice!"  
__"Enough. Fukawa."_ Celeste said. _"Kiyotaka Ishimaru is a squeaky-clean honors student with absolutely no infractions ever. If there's one person's word we have to absolutely trust in here, it's his."  
__"That's rich. Coming from a girl who's obviously lying about everything, and known the world over as the Queen of Liars." _Fukawa pointed out.  
_"Silence, Fukawa. Why are you defending Ishimaru?_" Togami asked.  
_"Why are you jumping to conclusions?"_ Celeste responded. "_If we didn't trust him somewhat, we wouldn't have left him alone with Kyoko Kirigiri, whom at this point, is this most likely suspect to be the mastermind. Besides, Kirigiri knew the risks. That trial room is the heart of the mastermind's lair."  
_. And then, Monokuma showed up.  
_"Upupupup. Ordinarily, I cut off access to the trial room outside of you know, trials? But I must say, it would be very interesting if someone could have even murdered someone else in the trial room itself even with this limited access and plausibly gotten away with it. A superb instance of The-Key-Is-Behind-The-Lock."  
__"Another trope!" _Fujisaki gasped.  
_"But I never imagined someone staying behind to explore the trial room itself. That's new. And as Celeste so brilliantly said, that trial room is my liar."  
__"Hmmmm." _Naegi hummed.  
_"What is it, Naegi?" _Maizono asked.  
_"I guess we have no choice but to take Ishimaru at his word. I just hope Kirigiri makes it."  
__"Is that what everybody agrees to?"_ Oowada said.  
. Everybody begrudgingly affirmed the sentiment.  
_"Oowada, you should still punch me."_ Ishimaru exclaimed.  
_"What, now? Why?"  
__"I wasn't smart enough. Kirigiri was obviously an important figure in this. I should have let her get on the elevator first."  
__"Hey, now. You couldn't have known what was going to happen." _Fujisaki smiled.  
_"Yeah, well, I'm still not convinced." _Fukawa muttered under her breath.  
_"Hey, man. Life ain't a Model T. There's no reverse pedal to press, so you just gotta keep moving forward." _ Oowada replied.  
_"What?"_ Togami said.  
_"Damn it. Fujisaki. Naegi. Now you got me making extraneous references too."_ Oowada sighed.  
_"I saw that the sauna was now open."_ Celeste said. "_Perhaps you could clear your mind by going in there."  
__"Hey, man. I challenge you to a bro-off!" _Oowada said.  
_"A Bro-Off?" _Ishimaru said.  
_"Yeah."_ Oowada gave Ishimaru a thumbs up. _"Longest one to stay in the sauna wins. Tell ya what. I'll take a handicap. I'll go in with my clothes on."  
__"But that's suicide."  
__"Says you. But you know what, we need a judge. Naegi, you're up."  
__"Why am I the judge?"  
__"So you're telling me I have to join you guys in the sauna... until both of you get out?"  
__"Yeah, man. It'll be great."  
__"Truly, the spirits of men shall be bonded from this event." _Ishimaru said, some of his old fire returning.  
_"Oookkkayyy. Let me put this another way. If I stay in there, until you both get out, doesn't that mean I win this 'Bro-Off'?" Naegi snarked.  
"You know what, man, just wait outside."_ Oowada conceded.  
_"And if I refuse to be the jud- Hey wait, stop dragging me!" _Naegi cried._  
"Okay. Now what?" _Togami asked._  
"So I guess we explore the second floor tomorrow, I don't think there's anything more we can do." _Leon said, as he departed with Fujisaki and Yamada all going to their separate rooms._  
. _Monokuma chuckled before disappearing. _"Kirigiri will have no part to play until the next trial."  
"That's not surprising._" Togami said. _"Considering you went to the trouble of separating her from the rest of us."_  
. The rest of the group could hear Naegi's cries of 'Help Me' from down the hall.  
_"So that means Kirigiri is still alive."_ Celeste said.  
_"Not necessarily."_ Fukawa said, twiddling her thumbs. _"That just means Kirigiri could play victim for the next trial."_  
_"But why would Kirigiri need to be separated from us?"_ Celeste asked.  
_"Well, what are her skill sets?"_ Togami asked.  
_"Besides being mysterious."_ Fukawa said. _"I still say she's quite obviously the mastermind."_  
_"And I still think she's a decoy."_ Celeste suggested. _"An obvious trap."_  
_"Oh, that's rich. The Queen of Liars is suggesting to trust someone. Are you in love with her or something?"_  
_"No. I am not. Togami, you seem to be the only one in control of her. Can you get her to be quiet?"_ Celeste decided to circumvent the bespectacled girl.  
. Togami smirked.  
_"But why do you think Kirigiri is a trap?"_ Togami said.  
_"Because from a basic strategical standpoint, you leave an obvious decoy to keep people guessing."_  
_"But Kirigiri could be a fake decoy in order to mess with that preconceived notion."_ Hagakure suggested, and he left.  
_"Yeah."_ Fukawa agreed. _"I actually agree with the Shaman, Kirigiri could be a fake decoy."_  
_"But that would require all of us here to be of high intelligence."_ Celeste said. _"And coming up with that complex strategy requires all of us to be too clever and a half."_  
_"And some of us are too dumb to fool. Is that what you're saying?" _Togami said.  
_"Yeah."  
"I see."  
. _Maizono had followed Naegi to outside the sauna._  
"So are they still in there?"  
"Yeah."  
"No sign of them leaving any time soon."  
"I see."  
"Do you think Kirigiri will be alright? I'd hate to lose another person so soon."  
"She's still alive."  
"She is."  
. _Naegi breathed a sign of relief, and Maizono couldn't help but fill a twinge of jealousy. **Would he feel the same way if I had been in Kirigiri's position?Oh, what am I talking about? I would rather be in my position than her's. I mean, I'm with Naegi right now. And ...  
**_"What in the world were they thinking?"_ Asahina had appeared, cutting off Maizono's thoughts.  
_"I don't know what they were thinking."_ Naegi said. _"Maybe Oowada was trying to cheer up Ishimaru."_  
_"Yeah. That makes sense-h-ya-aa."_ Naegi yawned. _"Today has been a stressful day. Do you think the two of you could cover as 'judge'?"_  
_"Sure."_ Asahina agreed. _"Maizono?"_  
"Alright."  
. Naegi left.  
_"So Maizono..."_  
_"Asahina, stop. This isn't going make this conversation any less awkward."_  
_"Oh, please, we both know you're still head over heels for him."_  
_"And I could say same about Leon to you."_  
_"What?"_  
_"It's not properly ... developed yet. It's still in a stage where you could nip it in the bud if you chose to. Or if you want, you could let it develop. He's very taken with you."_  
_"Has he told you all this?"_  
_"No."_  
_"Then how do you know?"_  
_"Because ... I'm an esper."_  
_"Really?"_  
_"No."_  
_"So how do you know?"_  
_"Because I've seen it before."_  
_"With who?"_  
_"With myself and Naegi."_  
_"What?"_  
_"He had feelings for me back in middle school. I liked him back. But neither of us made a move."_  
_"So you're trying to make up for lost time."  
"Yeah. How about this? Tell me more about yourself."  
"Myself?"  
"Yeah. You're quite obviously full of energy."  
"Got a problem with it."  
"Nnono. Why?"  
"It's just... I'm used to people always saying the same thing. All the energy I have goes straight to my legs and none ever goes to my head."  
"Well, that's obviously not true."  
"No, I mean. Just because I like to wear shorts in the winter..."  
"Woah. How much energy do you have to expend in order to keep your body temperature up?"  
"A lot."  
"Yeah. So how much food do you eat?"  
_. Asahina twiddled her thumbs. _"A bit more than I care to admit."  
"Oh, come on. Obviously, it's not too much."  
"Hey, would you look at the time? Oowada, Ishimaru, get out of there! It's almost 10 PM!"  
"NEVER/NEVER!"  
_. Asahina sighed, and walked over to the wall and flipped off the sauna._  
"Hey!" _The two shouted in unison._  
"Sorry. You'll have to continue this tomorrow... Or rather later this afternoon."  
"Why?"  
"Because Naegi's already gone to bed."  
"What?! Why?"  
"Well, in fairness to Naegi.." _Maizono pointed out._ "He did get launched into a pile of bleachers earlier today."  
"I guess that's a good enough excuse." _Oowada said._ "Alright, Ishimaru, after exploring the second floor tomorrow, we'll re-start this!"  
"Yes, that is a good time."  
"Alright."  
_. Asahina went back to her room. Maizono, however, headed straight back for the A/V Room._  
"Okay. It's still unlocked. Let's go."  
_. Monokuma chuckled._ "She's curious, but she won't like what she discovers."  
_. Maizono found the video with her name on it. She popped it in, and was horrified at what she saw.

As always, reviews are heavily appreciated.


	12. Books To Bases

Chapter 12

Maizono found the video with her name on it. She popped it in, and was horrified at what she saw.  
"_What-what-is this?"  
_. It was footage of her idol group. It was footage of her idol group. It was footage of her idol group? She gasped rather suddenly. Her costars, no, her friends were knocked unconscious on the stage. Was it real? Was it fake? Cut off access from the outside world, there was no way to know for sure. She stepped back almost in complete silence, let out a little yelp, and darted out.  
. Almost as soon as she stepped out, she passed Hagakure.  
_"Hey 'Zono'! How's Naegs?"  
__"Zono? Naegs? What?"  
__"Oh, yeah. Hey, you look like you've seen a ghost. Where have ya been?"  
__"Nowhere."  
__"Nowhere, huh?"  
__"Good night, Hagakure."  
_. Hagakure took a glance at the A/V Room.  
. Maizono raced back to her room. **What do I do? Do I tell Naegi? No. I don't want to worry him just yet. He's still recovering from getting launched into bleachers and the stress from being attacked.  
**_. _Meanwhile, Togami was getting the jump on everybody by full exploring the second floor. Compared to the first floor, the second floor was only about half as big. There was the library which he had already seen, along with Kirigiri and Fukawa (and Naegi). Still, it was worth it to continue exploring the library, but he knew that if he didn't save for last, he would never explore the rest of the floor before the rest of the class.  
. He turned left, and noticed yet another atrium for a pair of changing rooms. One for the girls and one for the boys. Judging by the contents, there was probably a swimming pool. And why were there ceiling-mounted Gaitling Guns? Were they even Gaitling Guns in the first place? Or were they machine guns made to look like Gaitling Guns? Never mind, there wasn't important. He had to explore the rest of the second floor. He turned around and left the atrium.  
. Togami passed the restrooms, and immediately turned to his right. He entered the classroom. It had a sign that said 'Classroom 2-A'. The walls were a tad bit darker green than the atrium's walls, and with even darker green butterflies painted on them. There was a sign that said 'Always Be True To Yourself' in a vertical scroll-like manner. As always a pair of a security camera, and an announcement television adorned the room. It was rather like the classrooms on the first floor.  
. _"I wonder what was taught in here." _Togami muttered to himself. _"Judging from the fact that there's a library on this floor. It might be some sort of literature and/or language classroom. But what languages would have been taught here?"_ He scrolled throughout the classroom, examining the desks themselves.  
. "_How absolutely fascinating. It appears I was right. Here's a textbook for French. And another for German, and another for Latin, and a book on Greek Grammar. I'll just put these right here, and perhaps I should peruse these at some later date."  
__. _He stepped back into the blue-lit hallway. Perhaps, he could read into the various types of architectural techniques used on this school. He moved forward into an area that was purplish-pinkish lit. He turned to his right and saw the boarded-up windows. No surprises there, but there were chairs and tables there. He took a seat down in one of them.  
. _"If the designers of Hope's Peak Academy wanted us to be able to have a good view here, they would have put the windows a bit further down."_ Togami commented to himself. "_I mean, only Oogami would have been able to use this setup in a normal school environment."  
_. Behind him stood the library, and so he turned and continued down the hall to what he assumed was another classroom. The walls were lit green. What was the second floor obsession with green anyway? Aside from some red and blues in the hallways leading up here, green was the pre-dominant color on this second floor. Did Hope's Peak like to color-code their contents? That would explain why most of the first floor was a combination of red and white.  
. Classroom 2-B was a bit more brownish. There was a poster that said 'Don't Sweat the Small Stuff', and a Monokuma doodle on the chalkboard. It gave personality to the classroom. A humorous, yet suspenseful atmosphere that perfectly reflected Monokuma himself. Sure the bear was entertaining, but he was also deadly, and you never knew what he was going to do next, unless...  
. Togami stared at the chalkboard. "Realism Ain't All It's Chalked Up To Be."  
. _"What an odd phrase. Monokuma must like puns. Of course, he would. He must think they're clever."  
__. _He strolled over to the bulletin board. On it was a list of novels first-year students at Hope's Peak Academy were expected to read. It surprised him, in additional to some of the cliche classics, such as by Lewis Carroll, there were a few unusual choices, including a particular science fiction series that he hadn't seen in quite a while.  
. _"Tom Swift Jr. ? Haven't seen a mention of that particular series in many, many years. But then again, the first book was written in 1954. If I ever get out of here, I'll make sure to read the series again. It was a childhood favorite of mine." _Togami mused.  
. Finally, he reached the library again. This would be his favorite part of Hope's Peak Academy. Ah, the library. It brought images of his own personal library from back home. The countless books on every subject he could get his hands on. It was part of the reason why he had been selected as heir of the Togami conglomorate. His willingness to read the fine print, to understand the context and implication of words, and just the pure raw intellectual curiousity on subjects had put him over the top.

. "_If I hadn't been offered to come here, I might have gone on to some university and double-majored in Mechinical Engineering and Business." _Togami mused. _"And maybe gone on to get a Law Degree for good measure too._" He pushed up his glasses, so many books to read. He might as well as make good use of the time he was stuck inside this school.  
. He entered the dried-blood red double doors under the lone white light on the floor. The library was filled to the brim with books. If he could sleep in here, he would. He noticed a clock that apparently gave the time as 1:30 A.M. But that was none of his concern, it wasn't like he would be joining the group for breakfast every morning. (That was something the rest of the group save himself and Fukawa had agreed to while that first day while Naegi was sleeping off Oowada's punch.)  
. There was a laptop that was plugged in, but it would not turn on. Perhaps he could enlist Fujisaki to repair it. But what he really noticed was a manilla envelope with a broken seal. What he, Fukawa, and Kirigiri had discovered before the first trial got underway. He had forgotten to take it with him at the dawn of the first trial, when Naegi had come up to the second floor to get him, Fukawa, and Kirigiri.  
. _"I'll just take it with me now."_ Togami said, muttering to himself, as he folded the letter and put it into his pants pocket. He turned to look at the books.  
. _"Such as a fascinating lineup of books."_ he noted. There were books on just about everything: history to science to engineering to mathematics. _"Even those plebeians should find something worth reading in here."_ He then remembered Yamada's talent of drawing manga. "_Almost everybody."_ he corrected himself.  
. But first, there was an adjacent room to check out. He opened the door somewhat expectantly. To his delight, there were files, and not just any files, top-secret ones just like there were back in the Togami household. The files he had access to growing up, because he was the selected heir of the Togami congolomorate.  
. He spent the next fifteen minutes browsing through the files.  
. "_Ah, yes, Fenrir, Genocider Shou, the secret assassinations, the overthrown dictatorships, and of course, the mistakes in space programs, the explanation for the lost Soviet Union Cosmonauts, etc. It almost could have been donated secretly by the Togami group itself_."  
. After he was done in the offshoot room, he went back to the main library itself. He grabbed a few books and stories and was about to begin reading when he realized that he probably needed a reading light.  
. _"Here's a lamp, but it doesn't extend far enough to the outlet."_  
. He remembered seeing an extension cord in the offshoot room, so he went back in there, and got it. And he began reading. He had just finished Beowulf at when Touko Fukawa came in.  
._ "Oy vey. What are you doing here?"  
. "Nothing."_  
. _"If you're going to be here, you should at least read something. Go on, pick something and go. Shoo now."  
. "Yes. Okay."_  
. Fukawa grabbed a couple of books, Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland" and its sequel "Through the Looking Glass and what Alice Found There", and scurried out of there.  
. _"Good, she's gone. Now I can get back to reading in peace."_ Togami muttered to himself as he started reading about the development of England's navy. He briefly paused and took a look at what next he had picked out: a book on architecture, a trilogy on the American Civil War, a biography of Sir Issac Newton, and a book on Norse mythology. He made a mental note to inter-splice Sherlock Holmes stories in between the full books.  
. Intersplicing short stories with full books kept his ability to read fluid, and the wide variety of topics kept his mind crisp and sharp.

. Makoto Naegi woke up sore. Again.  
_. "I haven't woken a single day here without being sore. You know what, after yesterday's whole incident, I'm just going to stay in bed. Okay. The rest of them can explore the second floor without me. Screw it, I'm just going to take a bed day."  
_. His plans were interrupted by a knock on his door.  
_. "Hey, Hagakure."  
__. "Hey, Naegs._ [Beat] _Most of us are getting ready to explore the second floor. But, also _c_an I ask you a question?"  
__. "Sure, what is it?"  
__. "Why do you have a finger gun pointed at me?"  
__. "Uhhhhh."  
__. "So, are you coming with us to explore the second floor?"  
__. "Maybe later."  
__. "So you're still recovering?"  
__. "A bit."  
__. "Ah, I'll let the others know. Well see ya."  
__. "Weird, I wonder why it was Hagakure, I would have thought Maizono would have jumped at the chance to get me. Perhaps she's just sleeping."  
_. Oowada and Ishimaru were impatient for Hagakure to come back.  
._ "Well, is he coming or not?"_ Leon had his arms folded.  
_. "No, dudes. Naegs ain't coming. Said he wanted to spend the day in his room." _Hagakure replied_.  
__. "How very odd. So did Maizono."_ Celeste responded.  
_. "So Naegi and Maizono have been accounted for. Has anyone seen Togami or Fukawa this morning?"_ Fujisaki asked.  
_. "I haven't."_ Asahina said.  
_. "Regrettably, this pair of eyes did not lay their gaze upon either of them." _Yamada said.  
_. "Hey, bro."_ Oowada asked. _"You're not still hung up on Kirigiri, are ya?"  
__. "I am. A little bit." _Ishimaru admitted.  
. _"Well, my recommendation is ya shove your feelings to the side for now. There's nothing you can do. In the mean time, we got a floor to explore."_ Oowada  
said.  
_. "The fact remains with that we're down to eight." _Celeste said. _"Almost half the group has been whittled away."  
__. "And with only a pair of deaths and one trial." _Leon said. "_What does that say?"  
__. "Well, I think it means there's going to be four plotlines, no waiting." _Fujisaki said.  
_. "What's your conclusion for that?"  
__. "Well, you've Kirigiri, who's currently in the mastermind's clutches. You've got Togami (and by extension, Fukawa), and you've got Naegi and Maizono. And then there's us."  
__. "So what does that make us?"_ Hagakure asked. _"The merry band of sidekicks?"  
__. "Now, now."_ Celeste smirked. _"All of us are important in here. It's just that some of us are more important than others."  
__. "Where d'ya get that from?"_ Oowada said.  
_. "Animal Farm."_ Ishimaru said. _"The pigs."  
__. "So you have read 'Animal Farm'."_ Celeste said.  
_. "When did you read it?"_ Ishimaru asked.  
_. "Right before completely obtaining my title as the Queen of Liars."  
__. "I see."_ Asahina said. _"Is 'Animal Farm' a good book?"  
__. "It is a phenomenal read.  
__. "Hey, now, are we actually gonna get to the second floor, or are we going to continue to discuss books?" _Oowada said.  
_. "Fair enough." _Celeste agreed. _"Should we all meet back up here in a couple of hours?"  
__. "Yeah, that seems fair."_ Oowada said.  
_. "So, should we split into groups of two?" _Leon asked_.  
__. "Alright, bro and I will form one duo." _Oowada said.  
_. "How about Hagakure and Yamada form another?" _Celeste asked.  
_. "You're just saying that cuz we're the guys nobody actually likes?" _Yamada said.  
_. "No, I'm simply saying that the two of you move at a similar pace. Everybody should be with a partner that matches the speed."  
__. "Okay." _Hagakure folded his arms_. "Celeste, that seems good enough reason for me."  
_. The two left the cafeteria.  
. Leon mentally pumped his fist in the air. This meant he was going to be with a girl. Alright.  
_. "How about since you and Asahina have clicked so well, I'll take Fujisaki and the two of you can form a pair?" _Celeste said.  
_. "No objection here." _Leon said.  
_. "Yeah, alright."  
__. "Will that be a problem, Fujisaki?" _Celeste asked.  
_. "No, there's no problem at all." _The programmer replied.  
_. "Try not to blow it, Mr All-Star." _Celeste whispered to the baseball player. _"She's still feeling the effects of the first trial."  
__. "I see." _Leon smirked. _"So that's why..."  
__. "Yes. We need everybody mentally at their fullest strength."  
__. "And you think Asahina could be one of your 'key' pieces?" _Leon quietly mumbled.  
. _"She's Ms. Cheerful. She's bubbly. She's full of energy. She's charming. Goodness knows we don't need another melancholic personality in this game."  
__. "Alright. I'll do it."  
__. "Good to hear."  
__. "But not for the sake of the creation of one of your 'pieces'. I'm doing it because it's right thing to do."  
__._ Upon hearing that, Celeste walked smoothly out of the cafeteria with Fujisaki.  
_. "So... Asahina, should we get going?"  
__. "I guess."  
_. The two walked up in silence to the second floor.  
. Kirigiri was utterly bored. She was bored with summoning Monokuma every fifteen minutes like a child asking to get out of a time-out. She was bored as she laid on the bed in the secret room. She assumed the others would be somewhat concerned about her. At least Naegi would be. It was in his nature. And definitely Ishimaru as well.  
_. "Oh no. Think how about that must look to him. He volunteered to stay behind while I investigated the trial room. And now I've been cut off from him. He must be blaming himself so much right now."  
_. Kirigiri sighed. "_Shame too, he was turning into an excellent assistant. His penchant for the rules would have made him excellent for figuring out loopholes. Now I'm stuck until waiting until someone actively murders someone else. At best, I only get out of here with ten of my 'classmates' alive and well."  
__. _She wondered why Monokuma had decided to split her off away from the rest of the cast. It must mean that she had discovered something. But what had she discovered.  
. Let's see. She had discovered this little off shoot. She had heard a pitching machine. And she had learned some stuff on Ishimaru.  
. "_Was it something I was dangerously close to discovering?" _Kirigiri laid on the bed with her hands behind her head. She hadn't kept them behind her head for very long when they started to fall asleep.  
. _"What? They've never fallen asleep like this before. Huh."  
_. It was about 10 AM when Maizono woke up.  
. _"My idol group. Am I sure that wasn't just a dream? No. No. It wasn't."  
_. She bit her lip.  
. _"There isn't anything I think I can do - except? No. Never. That means sacrificing Naegi and that is out of the question. Not after everything so far."  
_. And then...  
. _"Why?"_ She felt the need to reexamine her affection for Naegi and weigh it against her idol group. Was Naegi worth her idol group? Were the lives of everybody else here and Naegi worth her idol group? And what if she failed? That would be it.  
. She started remembering Naegi in his middle school days. Naegi, who was always a silent voice of reason, even when pursuing her idol career. She doubted he knew that. For all of his crushing on her, he didn't make any moves on her. Didn't go after her to get to piggy back off of her fame, which could be more than could be said about most other males who had hit on her throughout the years. He just stared and admired. When did she need to remind herself about that? Besides, which was worth more? The potential of outside or the solidness of inside? She wasn't a gambler like Celeste or a finanicial wizard like Togami. Her abilities to calculate risk/reward were limited at best.  
. Her mental spiel was interrupted by a knock on her door.  
_. "Hello, Naegi."  
__. "Hey, Maizono."  
__. "Yeah. Wanna go explore the second floor now?"  
__. "Oh, that is open. I had completely forgotten."  
__. "Wait, let's go explore the first floor again."  
__. "Why?"  
__. "Do you remember how the bath was open after the trial last night?"  
__. "Yeah. Are you saying it's possible for there to be more opened on the first floor than we realized?"  
__. "Of course."  
__. "So reconnaissance of the first floor away!"  
_. As they stood in the hallway, Leon was not having much luck in cheering up Asahina.  
_. "So... Asahina..."  
__. "Yeah?"  
__. "Have you discovered anything strange on the second floor?"  
__. "Not really."  
__. "Ah."  
__. "Leon, can I ask you something?"  
__. "Sure."  
__. "Do you still like baseball?"  
__. "What?"  
__. "I mean, you've actively boasted that you've never needed to go to practice or put any effort into it. Or everything."  
__. "Yeah."  
__. "But you must not really care for the sport if you don't want to put in all that effort."  
_. "_Asahina, listen." _Leon sighed. _"Growing up, I used to love baseball. I memorized all of the winners of the World Series. I could tell you anything about the history of the major leagues. All of the changes made through the years. It was fun. It was enjoyable. It was wonderful. And then..."_ Leon trailed off.  
_. __"And then all of a sudden, it wasn't fun anymore_." Asahina said.  
. _"Yep."_ Leon replied. "_The practices, the pressure, the expectations. It was draining. I needed a break from it."  
_. "_Hey, calm down, even his Airness needed eighteen months away from his game."  
__. "And you don't ever get tired of swimming or basketball?"  
__. "No."  
__. "Consider yourself lucky."  
__. "Oh, cheer up, Leon. You just need to rediscover your fire. Your love. Your passion."  
__. "You say that. But it's not as easy as you think. I keep trying, but nothing works."  
__. "Maybe..."  
__. "Maybe what?"  
__. "Maybe you can't find your love any more because it was too easy. Because you've never had to work at it. Maybe time away from the game will cause you to rediscover what drew into the sport in the first place."  
__. "I suppose that's possible."  
__. "Hey, Leon."  
__. "Yes."  
__. "What drew you into the sport in the first place?"  
__. "It was a combination of two things. Are you familar with baseball's perfect game?"  
__. "Sure. It's a game where no batter reaches first base by hit, walk, or even error."  
__. "Correct. Though tandem perfect games are theoretically possible, all perfect games in major league history have been thrown by one pitcher."  
__. "Okay."  
__. "Well, I watched a perfect game with my grandfather. And I thought 'Hey, someday, I'll do that too.'"  
__. "And did you?"  
__. "No. But one day, I will."  
__. "You know what, I know you will. And what was the other thing that drew you into baseball?"  
__. "Babe Ruth."  
__. "Babe Ruth?"  
__. "Ruth is commonly known for three things to the average baseball fan."  
__. "Of course."  
__. "He used to hold the record for the most home runs in major league history. He used to hold the record for most strikeouts as a batter too. And he was also known calling a shot against the Cubs."  
__. "Like a game of H.O.R.S.E.?"  
__. "Sure. Why not?"  
__. "But Ruth was also a pitcher on the mound."  
__. "Is that so?"  
__. "Yeah."  
__. "Well, it certainly explains you. Mr. Ace pitcher AND Clean-up hitter."  
__. "Yeah. Not a day goes by where I wish there was more footage of the '27 Yankees."  
__. "Not what I was saying, but good point none the less."  
__. _Asahina was slowing but surely beginning to understand Leon. Unlike her, he didn't constantly feed off energy from competition itself.  
._ "Hey, Leon, wanna go check out the library?"  
__. "Sure, why not?"  
_. The two bounded over to the library. When they opened the door...  
_. "Oy vey. Just what do you think you're doing?"  
__. "Togami?"_ Asahina asked.  
. _"What are YOU doing here?" _Leon asked.  
. "_Reading, of course. This is a library. Now, either keep your little date between the two of you quiet or leave."  
__. "Date?"_ Asahina blushed. _"We're not dating!"  
_. Togami raised an eyebrow. _"Like I care either way."  
__. "So... uh. Whatcha reading, Togami?" _Leon asked, hurriedly trying to change the subject.  
. _"Oh, just a wide variety of books and short stories."  
__. "Such as?"  
__. "American history, architecture, Sherlock Holmes, the Great War."  
__. "Excuse me?"_ Asahina asked.  
_. "Some range you got there." _Leon commented.  
_. "I do my best." _Togami smirked.  
. "_As expected of the Heir._" Celeste commented as she walked in with Fujisaki. _"Hello, Togami."_

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I've discovered a writing style for this fic (Which is why the first chapters will seem so short in comparision to later chapters), when in doubt split the characters up and see where that leads. Combine different combinations for conversations, and also throw in some Seinfeldian conversations. I've got the major story elements (the murders) mostly planned out. Now I just need to flesh the story reasons to lead to them.

So until then, I leave you with a Doctor Who reference.

SPOILERS.

As always, please leave a review. I want to know reactions. Responses, and so forth. Good, yes? No? Maybe? Eh?

UPDATE: 6/27/15: Please leave a readable review.


	13. Joking Consonants, Arguing Vowels

Chapter 13

. Fukawa was quietly reading in Classroom 2-B. It was rather brown. "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff" a Monokuma chalk drawing beckoned to her.  
. "_**Alone with my thoughts. On the one hand, no Byakuya. On the other hand, nobody else. It's peaceful in here."**_  
. She was alone, reading a book. Lewis Carroll really was interesting, it was rather fantasical. She'd make sure to homage his work somehow in her next work. That really was why her romance novels sold well, because they stood up as actual stories. The characters were fleshed out, and the settings vibrant. Her works tended to explore the depths of characters so that readers would get invested in them and finish the story to the end.  
. There was one of type of work she absolutely loathed, the status-quo sequel. The sequel that existed to undo everything from the end of the first book only to repeat everything for the second. She hated those type of sequels. If you had an original story, see to its conclusion, but don't make it drag out, or undo it. She had no problem writing a spinoff, and hell, she had even written a couple of non-romance sequels to her romance novels. But all of those sequels were different genres, and they explored the characters in a different light, or they explored characters that had been side ones in the original. They expanded or continued the story in some way.  
. The sequels never quite sold as well as the original, but that had more to due the fact that the romance genre had a devoted fanbase. One of her favorite works to write had been a non-romance sequel where she took a look inside a characters' mind, and explored his backstory extremely thoroughly. She thought of everything there was about him to its conclusion.  
. And then the noise came.  
_. "Oh, hey 'Kawa."_ Hagakure said._ "Don't mind us."  
__. "Touko Fukawa. What are you reading?" _Yamada asked.  
_. "Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland'." _Fukawa replied.  
_. "WWHHAATT?" _Yamada thundered.  
_. "Ow, my ears."_ Hagakure noted.  
_. "Why are you not reading one of my prestigous works? They explore several profund themes that I'm sure you'd be interested in."_ Yamada asked.  
_. "'Prestigious' isn't exactly the word I would use for your 'work'." _Fukawa said.  
_. "It is true, genius is never appreciated in its time."_ Yamada said, sadly.  
_. "No. I mean, you draw amateur porn."  
__. "It is not amateur porn."  
__. "Yes, it is."  
__. "No, it is not."  
__. "Yes, it is."  
__. "No, it is not."  
__. "Yes."  
__. "No."  
__. "Yes."  
__. "No."  
__. _Meanwhile...  
_. "How long have you been here, Togami?"_ Celeste asked.  
_. "Several hours."  
__. "What have you been doing?"  
__. "Reading."  
__. "Reading? Reading what?"  
__. "Just a wide variety of things. Say, didn't you hear what I told these two?"  
__. "Sure. American History, Sherlock Holmes, architecture, and the Great War?"  
__. "Correct."  
__. "Go deeper."  
__. "What?"  
__. "What parts of American History? And this Great War?"  
_. Togami snapped his books shut.  
_. "This is utterly ridiculous. I'll read what I want."_ He pushed up his glasses as he walked out of the library.  
. _"What do you think he's doing now?"_ Leon said.  
. _"Probably going to bed now." _Celeste said.  
. _"What makes you say that?"_ Asahina asked.  
. _"Who knows how long he's been up?" _Celeste said. _"And the rules do say we can only sleep in our rooms."  
_. _"Sweet." _Fujisaki muttered. _"I never expected them to have it."  
__. "Have what?"_ Leon asked.  
_. "They have archives of it."  
__. "Cut the excess of pronoun usage and tell us."_ Celeste asked.  
. " _'xkcd' archives!"_ Fujisaki grinned.  
. _"What now?"_ Leon asked.  
. _"It's a webcomic."_ Fujisaki explained.  
_. "Yeah. Okay. Why would a webcomic be in a library?"  
__. "Why wouldn't it be a library?"  
__. "No, what I mean is why would a webcomic be a in paper library?"  
__. "I don't know, but all I know is... I'm glad to see it."  
__. "What's so great about this webcomic?"  
__. "This. I present to you, webcomic 303, 'Compiling'."  
_. Leon, Asahina, and Celeste took a look at it.  
. **"The #1 Programmer's Excuse For Legitimately Slacking Off: 'My Code's Compiling'.**"  
. _"Fujisaki, I don't get it."_ Asahina admitted.  
. Fujisaki looked bummed.  
. _"Nobody else here is a programmer." _Leon pointed out. "_Why would we get this?"  
__. "It is true. None of our skill sets overlap at all."_ Celeste said.  
. _"So does that mean none of us share any common interests?"_ Asahina asked.  
_. "I wouldn't say that." _Celeste replied. "_Just that each one of us inside this school has our own area of 'expertise'."  
__. "Monokuma's is being messed up."_ Leon said.  
_. "You know what we're missing?"_ Asahina commented. _"Someone who can do a little bit of everything."  
__. "What do you mean by that?"_ Fujisaki said.  
. _"I think she means, someone who can do a little bit of this, a little of that. Competent at everything he or she does, but not quite an expert."_ Leon said.  
. _"A non-specialist."_ Celeste said.  
. _"Well, the closest thing to a non-specialist I've seen among anybody is..."_ Asahina said.  
_. "Byakuya Togami. The guy who just left."_ Leon said.  
. _"His talent is being the Heir, right?"_ Fujisaki said. _"So there must be a reason to why he's the SDHSL heir."  
__. "All heirs are born into their wealth." _Celeste said. _"But what makes Togami so special among various heirs?"  
_. Just then, they were interrupted.  
. _"Where is Bbbb-yy-aa-kkuya?"_ Fukawa stuttered.  
_. "We don't know."_ Leon admitted. _"He left just a few minutes ago."  
__. "Oh, I see. ... None of you forced him out of here, did you? I can already tell this place is very important to Byakuya, so none of you go about messing it up."  
_. "_Wwhat are you doing, anyway?" _Fukawa asked.  
. _"Exploring the second floor, what else would we be doing?"_ Celeste asked.  
. _"Ah. That explains it."  
_. "_Explains what?"_ Asahina asked.  
_. "Explains why I was interrupted in my reading."  
__. "By whom?"  
__. "By that obnoxious duo of Hagakure and Yamada. There were so loud. There I was, peacefully reading Lewis Carroll, when all of a sudden..."  
_Meanwhile_,_ Naegi and Maizono were re-exploring the first floor.  
. _"With the exception of the storage room now being open, it doesn't look like there's anything new available._" Naegi commented.  
_. "So I guess we go explore it now. See what we find." _Maizono commented.  
_. "You know, Maizono."  
__. "Yes?"  
__. "I'm glad you're not dead."  
__. "Awwww. Thank you."  
_. Maizono furried her brow. "Should I tell him or should I not tell him? He seems to be doing just fine right now."  
. _"Hey, Naegi."  
__. "Yes. What is it?"  
__. "Uhhh, never mind, it's not important."  
__. "Maizono, are you sure?"  
__. "Yes, I'm sure. If it becomes important, I'll let you know, but until then don't worry about it."  
__. "Positive?"  
__. "Yes."_ Maizono said flatly. "_So what do we have in the storage room?"  
__. "Well, it looks like we've got some gym clothes, some candy, other assorted snacks, and a whole bunch of other useful little knick-knacks like nightlights and stuff."  
__. "We aren't five anymore. I doubt any of us need nightlights."  
__. "Still, it might be useful. Last thing any of us need to do is to stub our pinkie toe when we get up to go to the bathroom."  
__. "I hate that. Your foot hurts like hell. And it's always the little toe too. Why is that?"  
__. "I guess humans are just clumsy."  
__. "But bears aren't!"  
__. "Yeah. Wait, ah!"  
_. Monokuma had just shown up.  
. _"Monokuma, stop doing that._" Maizono complained. _"You're freaking us out."  
_. _"I'm freaking you out."_ Monokuma said. "_Well, I am a teddy bear that with black half with a Joker smile."  
__. "I think it's more due to the fact that you tend to pop frickin' anywhere than anything else." _Naegi said.  
_. "Wait, who's the Joker?" _Maizono asked.  
_. "The Joker? You don't know who the Joker is?" _Monokuma said._ "You know, he's frequently voiced by Luke Skywalker."  
__. "Who's Luke Skywalke- wait, that's a dumb question. He's from Star am I talking about?" _Naegi facepalmed.  
_. "Well, I'm quite surprised. Ask Yamada when ya get the chance."_ Monokuma said.  
_. "Wait, Yamada knows who the Joker is?" _Naegi said.  
_. "Yeah, of course. I love the Joker. He's only the greatest, the most iconic villain in any medium of all time. He's my idol." _Monokuma said as he popped away.  
_. "You know what, I don't think I want to know." _Maizono said.  
. _"Wait a minute, I think Monokuma just called himself a villain."_ Naegi said.  
_. "What?"  
__. "Yeah. He said he idolized the Joker, and apparently this Joker is a villain."  
__. "Where are you going with this? Are you saying we're the good guys?"  
__. "Yep."  
__. "All of us."  
__. "Uh huh."  
__. "The fifteen of us that showed up here on the first day."  
__. "Yes."  
__. "Even Oogami and Enoshima, you know the two that killed each other off in a double KO?"  
__. "Uhhh. Good guys do morally ambigous things all the time..."  
__. "Sure they do."  
__. "Hmmm, you know what? I think a better term for Oogami would be anti-hero."  
__. "Anti-hero? And what about Enoshima? Is she anti-hero as well?"  
__. "Well, I'm not sure."  
__. "Of course, you're not."  
_. Naegi stopped dead in his tracks.  
_. "Maizono?"  
__. "Why do you think Enoshima even stepped in in the first place?"  
__. "We already discussed this. It was because she felt she could do something."  
__. "I know. But surely she knew that Oogami would kill someone, and if she killed Oogami to stop Oogami from killing someone then she would have been executed herself."  
_. "_I would like to remind you that we didn't know that a killer who couldn't elude detection would be executed until after the deaths of both Oogami and Enoshima, so Enoshima couldn't have known that even if she killed Oogami, she would die too."  
__. "Do you think she would have still stepped in if she had known?"  
_. Maizono thought back. _**"Even if she had known, she probably would have stepped in. I mean some of her dying words were to get Naegi out. But why Naegi? And if Oogami had attacked someone else, would Enoshima have stepped in? Was it possible Enoshima had been lying when she said she didn't have any connection to Naegi? Oh, her memories were probably a little faulty at this point. But if she had had a connection to Naegi, what was it? Had Enoshima developed a crush on Naegi at first sight? No. But she didn't dare ask all, what would he say?"  
**__**. **__"Maizono? Maizono?" _Naegi's words brought her back down to Earth.  
_. "Yes, Naegi?"  
__. "Forget I said anything, let's just keep exploring the store room."  
__. "Alright."  
_. The two spent a further fifteen minutes exploring the storeroom, opening all of the boxes and checking their contents. There was the owners' manual for the microwave in the kitchen, and various other contents.  
_. "I'm bored, so I'll take the owner's manual." _Naegi said_.  
__. _Simultaneously,  
_. "Well, that was rude of them." _Celeste said.  
_. "Of course, when isn't that otaku scum ever rude?" _Fukawa replied.  
_. "Otaku scum?" _Leon said. _"I'm not the biggest fan of Yamada but..."  
__. "Let it go, she refers to everybody except her precious Togami in such a manner." _Asahina sighed.  
. Fujisaki giggled.  
_. "Why is Fujisaki giggling?" _Fukawa asked.  
_. "Do you read webcomics, Fukawa?" _Fujisaki asked.  
_. "No."  
__. "You really should."  
__. "I'll... I'll make a note of that."  
__. "No, seriously, they're amazing."  
__. "Alright, if you say so. What's so great about this 'webcomic'?" _Fukawa muttered to Celeste.  
_. "It contains a bunch of programming jokes." _Celeste replied.  
_. "Why would I read a programming webcomic? I'm a romance novelist, not a computer expert."  
__. "In this day and age, don't you use the computer to write your novels?" _Leon asked.  
. _"Only when I've fully fleshed them out already." _Fukawa replied. _"By the time I hit the computer stage, I've already figured most of the major key points of the story and written a few prototype passages, scrapped lines, etc. The only computer shortcut I know is CTRL-S for quick save."  
__. "Prototype passages and scrapped lines?" _Asahina said. "_What good do those do ya?"  
__. "Well, they help flesh out the characters a bit more. Sometimes I figure out details I can add to them that I would have missed out on otherwise."  
__. "So what, you add inconsequential details to the characters, so what?"_ Leon asked.  
_. "You fool. In a story, the details are what gives the characters their power. It's what makes you feel about them. It binds the reader to the story."  
__. "Fukawa, there's a fine line between too many details, and 'slows the pace' down."_ Celeste replied.  
_. "Say wait a minute, Fukawa. I didn't know you were a fan of Star Wars." _Leon said.  
_. "What? No, I'm not."_ Fukawa replied.  
_. "But you just... You just..."  
__. "But I just what?"  
__. "But you just homaged Obi-Wan's 'Force' Lines ... about literature. Come on, nobody does that unintentionally."  
__. "I'm telling you I'm not a fan."  
__. "Have you at least seen them?"  
__. "I've only seen parts of them. When I was very small. And I'm pretty sure I don't remember what I've seen."  
__. "Well, obviously, you've seen enough of it to homage it."  
__. "What even is Force anyway?"  
__. _Fujisaki interrupted.  
_. "Force has many defintions. For instance, it is mass times acceleration. But a more accurate description would be the change of momentum over time."  
__. "Fujisaki, how do you know physics?"_ Celeste said.  
_. "Those are basic physics concepts. See, it's right here, Chapter 1 of this Physics textbook I found here."  
__. "Oh wow." _The rest of the group facefaulted.  
_. "What? I was setting up a joke."  
__. "That was a poor joke." _Leon commented._ "And it's THE Force."  
__. "Okay, what is THE Force?" _Fukawa asked.  
_. "To quote Obi-W__an, '__The Force is what gives a Jedi his power. It's an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us and penetrates us. It binds the galaxy together.' "  
__. "Well, that's vague."  
__. "Yeah, frankly I don't give a damn about that midi-chlorian bullshit."  
__. "Midi-chlorian what now?"  
__. "Midi-chlorians. Ignore them. The prequels suck. That's all you need to know."  
__. "Well duh, prequels always suck. By their very nature, prequels are very likely to suck. I mean, since the original audience already knows a foregone conclusion. That, and they tend to have all of those obnoxious tie-ins to the original work, most of which are to the detriment of the story."  
__. "I think you're overthinking it. Jar Jar just plain stinks."  
__. "ENOUGH." _Asahina cut in._ "I think the important question is being forgotten here."  
__. "And what is that?" _Fujisaki asked.  
_. "The important question. The question that should be on everyone's mind. Is there a way out of here? Fukawa, have you seen a way out?"  
__. "Nnnooo. I've just been reading. And even if I did, I wouldn't waste my time telling the rest of you. I would just get out."  
__. "And leave your precious Togami?"  
__. "Byakuya would be fine. I have faith in his ability to survive."  
__. "Somehow, I'm not biting. There's no way you'd leave 'your' Togami behind."  
__. "How would you know what I'd do?"  
__. "Because I've seen the way you act around him. I would have thought you of all people that life isn't like a romance novel."  
__. "Girls, girls. Come down." _Celeste intervened before the two could go at each other's throats._  
__. "Woah. Hey, if you two go at it, could you let me get out of the way first?" _Leon commented.  
. Fujisaki raised a hand timidly.  
_. "Asahina, Fukawa. Now is not the time to be fighting. Perhaps we should go over the second floor one more time."  
__. "How would we know what we're looking for, though?"_ Leon pointed out. _"And besides we haven't heard from Ishimaru or Oowada yet. Or Hagakure or Yamada."  
__. "Oh, who cares about them?" _Fukawa asked.  
._ "They're still here._" Asahina said. _"And besides we have heard from Yamada. Fukawa said she was bothered him."  
__. "Personally, I don't really care what they do."_ Celeste said. "_As long as they aren't murdering someone."  
__. "You snake."_ Fukawa said. _"You don't want them to murder because them murdering makes it harder for you to kill someone!"  
_. Everyone else gasped.  
_. "What are you talking about?"_ Celeste said.  
_. "I mean, the more people there are, the more suspects they are."  
__. "But the more people there are, the more eyewitnesses they're could be."  
__. "The more people there are, the more targets you can choose from."  
__. "Fukawa,why do you tend to accuse people so much?"  
_. Fukawa clutched her head.  
_. "I think it's wearing off. ARGH."  
__. "What's wearing off, Fukawa?" _Naegi and Maizono had arrived on the second floor. _"Hey, wait." _He shouted as Fukawa dashed out of the library.  
_. "Do any of you have any idea what she's talking about?"  
__. "Not a clue." _Leon said.  
_. "Huh."  
__. "How long have you been on the second floor, Naegi?_" Celeste asked._  
__. "I just came up here. The storeroom has been opened, and Maizono and I were expecting some of its contents."  
__. "And what did you find?" _Leon asked,_  
__. "Some snacks, nightlights. Other odds and ends to make our lives a bit more comfortable."  
__. "I see."  
__. "Anything else?" _Asahina asked._  
__. "No, not really." _Naegi replied._  
__. "So the storeroom is open." _Fujisaki asked._  
__. "Well, yeah. Say, what are you looking at?"  
__. "Someone printed out xkcd webcomics and stuck them in here."  
__. "xkcd? I love that webcomic!"  
__. "I know, right. It's like the best webcomic ever!"  
__. "Maizono, how do you put up with him?" Leon asked.  
__. "Honestly, these moments are when I find him the most charming."_ Maizono admitted._  
__. "I see."  
__. "The storeroom is open..." _Celeste thought._ "Hmm, I'll have to check it myself."_

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I went back and made sure that every xkcd webcomic was one that Fujisaki would have known about. There needs to a Nobel Prize of awesomeness for the xkcd writer. Links in the bottom of the description.

/303/


	14. Conquering Heat

Chapter 14

. Celeste honestly didn't know what to expect when she checked the store room. Just as Naegi and Maizono had said, there were odds and ends to make their lives better. There was a vacuum cleaner.  
. _"Fascinating, isn't it?"_ She turned around. It was Togami.  
. "_What is?"_  
. _"New Facilities opening upon the deaths of our classmates."  
. "Do you intend to murder me?"  
. "Now why would I reveal my hand yet?"  
. "So you do intend to murder someone."_  
. Byakuya smirked.  
._ "Only if the right opportunity presents itself."  
. "And yet, you don't see the ramifications."  
. "Which line of ramifications? A failed murder for me, or the response from the rest of you."  
__"Both."  
__"Well, I would imagine if I murdered someone. You found me guilty. I'm dead. Let's follow that's line of reasoning to the end, shall we?"  
__"First off, I imagine Fukawa would then become a danger to herself and others."  
__"Well, that opens up the third floor, and maybe even a fourth floor."  
__"Is that really what you're thinking about here?"  
__You asked to consider all of the ramifications."  
__"Now what's on the third floor?"  
__"That doesn't matter. What matters more is the implications of further murdering.  
__"What do you mean?"  
__ "Well, we have thirteen people now. You and your victim would reduce that number to eleven.  
__ "So?"  
__"So, if we have fifteen people for floor one, but thirteen people for floors one and two, and eleven people for floors one, two, and three..."  
__"The people spread out. So that with each failed murder, it becomes harder to use deductive reasoning to figure out the murderer using alibis and such."  
__"But at the same time, it becomes easier with inductive reasoning."  
__"Of course. But you're making the assumption that the murderer will always be one of us.  
__ "I can't imagine a situation where it wouldn't be."  
__"I can."  
__ "So it's to the benefit of everyone if you don't murder."  
__"I play to my benefits. No one else."  
__"Togami, what happens to your conglomerate if you die here? I'm curious."  
__"You are familiar with the old customs of European royalty when the monarchies were usually near-absolute? One Heir. One spare."  
__"And the Togami conglomerate has a spare?"  
__"Of course. Why do you think we've been so influential?"  
__"But I imagine, constantly having multitude of heirs would create issues with succession."  
__"That's why the heirdom is pruned down to the most capable."  
__"How many?"  
__"Just one. Just me."  
__"And who's your spare?"  
__"I'm not going to reveal that information."  
__"I see."  
__"So the next question is 'Among all the possible candidates, why were you the one chosen?'  
__"I was pited against my siblings. Never in Togami family history had the youngest one ever won. And the field of fifteen overall, including myself was the largest yet."  
__"So what happens to the losers?"  
__"The losers are cut off from all connections. They are cast off."  
__"I see, but you know what, with fifteen of you, choosing the heir like that seems awfully impractical."  
__"What do you mean?"  
__"Well, for starters, none of you are the same age. That means your development between all of you is nowhere identical. How do you decide? Wouldn't the natural advantage go to the eldest?"  
__"Why do you think the youngest never won before?"  
__"Huh. So I must ask how the family head judges quality across so many factors."  
__"A series of questions."  
__"What?"  
__"Each heir is asked the same questions, phrased in exactly the same way, throughout our childhoods. There are two litmus tests. How we respond is one of the determining factors."  
__"And the other?"  
__"How our responses change over time. How did we develop? Who grew the most?"  
__"So personal growth and character development in just the right way could trump intelligence and cunning."  
__"Yes."  
__"How does your family head have so many children?"  
__"He chooses the most capable women from all over the world and sires children with them."  
__"So all Togami heirs are illegitimate from the start."  
__"Yes."  
__"Or to put it another way, you're nothing but an illegitimate bastard whose earned his way to the top by beating out fourteen other competitors.  
__"And quite proud of that too."  
__"Proud of being a bastard?"  
__"A bastard whose made himself superior. Tell me, what is the point of this conversation. Are you judging me?"  
__"Doesn't everybody? Doesn't everybody judge the heir? The one who is presumed to have been born with everything."  
__"I have earned it."  
__ "Doesn't matter. The perceptions of most people won't change."  
__You know, historically speaking, there have been several important so-called 'bastards'."  
__"Such as?"  
__"William the Conqueror's 'alternative nickname' was 'William the Bastard'."  
__. "Really, William the Conqueror? I have only vaguely heard of him."  
__. "It's not as far off as you think. First of all, he was the son of a tanner's daughter and Robert I, Duke of Normandy. He earned his crown through and through. Second of all, he has the honor of being the only outside invader to successfully conquer England, winning the Battle of Hastings by defeating King Harold on October 14__th__, 1066."  
__. "Ah. I see. Now just one more question. What happens if you stumble?"  
__. "What?"  
__. "You heard me. What happens if you mess up? What happens if the great Byakuya Togami screws up, not 'is killed', but screws up."  
__. _For the first time, Byakuya looked shocked.  
_. "I never considered it."  
__. "I would have thought you would have figured that out. What happens if Byakuya Togami isn't as infallible as he believes himself to be?"  
__. "I suppose I would lose my position as heir and one of my siblings would get the title from me."  
__. "So, what would you do then?"  
__. "What else, work my way up independently of the Togami family. Sure, it would be difficult, but not at all unmanageable."  
__. "You'd certainly have to swallow your pride."  
_. Monokuma had an ear to the door. "_**How interesting. How bear-y interesting. This is a development for Togami I never would have expected."  
**__ "Celeste."  
__. "Yes."  
__. "What have you earned? What were you truly born with?"  
__. "I, myself, have earned everything."  
__. "Is that so?"  
__. "Do you doubt it?"  
__. "While I believe you started from little, saying that you've earned everything you've gotten is probably stretching it a bit too far. After all, there is a reason you're  
called the Queen of Liars."  
__. "Yes. I am known as the Queen of Liars."  
__. "And what makes you title so effective is what it is built upon."  
__. "What is it built upon, Togami? Tell me."  
__. "The title itself is a misnomer. It's all built on half-truths. Manipulation and deceit. But not outright lies. The problem comes in when you don't have complete control any more."  
__. "And?"  
__. "And? I mean, just like now."  
__"Do you ask if I intend to murder someone, Togami?"  
__"Far too obvious now at this rate."  
__"What?"  
__"It's too obvious. If you were to murder, it really wouldn't be entertaining now would it? The culprit would be far too obvious."  
__"Using that inductive reasoning?"  
__"As always. There are only a few people smart enough to pull off a pre-planned murder, and you and I consist of two of the three possibilities."  
__"Who's the third?"  
__"Who else? Kyouko Kirigiri."  
__"The mystery girl who's conveniently been removed from play right now. You still think she's capable."  
__"Without an idea about her background, habits, or talent, she's an engima at best."  
__"You think she could be the mastermind?"  
__"It's certainly possible."  
__"How so?"  
__"Why did Monokuma wait for Ishimaru to leave? Why not trap Ishimaru instead of Kirigiri?"  
__"Well, perhaps Monokuma doesn't believe Kirigiri to be as capable of murder as we do."  
__"That's a possibility. But why isolate her? Was it because she was close to discovering something?"  
__"I don't know. We'll have to ask her next time we see her."  
__"Assuming Monokuma doesn't kill her off."  
__"I doubt that."  
__"Why?"  
__"It wouldn't work. Monokuma can't kill us off directly as shown by Oogami."  
__"Sure, but he has the ability."  
__"Yeah, but it undermines the principles of this 'game' he's trying to set up."  
__._ Makoto Naegi was not as impressed with the second floor as he thought he would have been. While there had been a library, he was not as a vivacious a reader as say Togami, nor as much of a swimmer as Asahina. The classrooms, while an improvement, were not quite what he wanted.  
_. "What were you expecting?" _Maizono asked. "_This is a school after all. Or at the very least, it's set up like one."  
__. "Yeah. I know. It's just I was expecting something more."  
__. "Like what?"  
__. "I don't know. More than a couple of classrooms, a library, and a pair of bathrooms. Speaking of which, I need to use one. I'll be back in a moment."  
__. "Alright, I'll wait for you here."  
__. _Naegi walked into the bathroom on the second floor. There was a couple of urinals, and a janitorial closet.  
_. "Oh yeah, we are going to have to clean our own bathrooms as some point. Or does Monokuma clean them for us? See the more I think about this, the more logistical problems I start to come up with. I mean, it's the minor things like that that start to bother me. Are we cleaning our own bathrooms? What comes next?"  
_. Naegi used the urinal and left.  
_. "So how was the bathroom?"  
__. "Eh. Same as the first floor. There was a janitorial closet though."  
__. "Really?"  
__. "Yeah, I think we have to clean our own bathrooms. Scrub our toliets, wash our showers, etc."  
__. "Ah. I'm not very good with cleaning bathrooms."  
__. "Well, that makes two of us."  
__. "Find something interesting, either of you?" _Leon had arrived.  
_. "Not really." _Naegi replied. _"There's just some cleaning supplies in the guys' bathroom on this floor. It looks like we're responsible for our own upkeep."  
__. "Where's Asahina?" _Maizono asked.  
_. "Eh, she went back to her room." _Leon replied._ "Said she hadn't gotten a lot of sleep over the last day and a half."  
__. "Ah. That makes sense."  
__. "Yeah, Celeste went down to the store room. And Fujisaki is still in the library reading that xkcd stuff."  
__. "So has anybody seen Ishimaru, Oowada, Yamada, or Hagakure?"  
__. "Yo, Naegi." _Hagakure had shown up.  
_. "Well, that's awfully convienent timing." _Leon commented_. "What up? You seen Oowada or Isihmaru? And where's Yamada?"  
__. "I haven't seen Ishimaru or Oowada since we split up to search the second floor. And I left Yamada in a classroom. He was bothering 'Kawa."  
__. "Yeah, he may not be there anymore."  
__. "What makes you say that?"  
__. "Because we've seen Fukawa since then."  
__. "Oh. Yeah. That makes sense. Yams was consistently bothering Fukawa about how she didn't read manga or watch anime or stuff like that. And about how he wished he had the money to finance his own series without any sort of executive meddling, that sort of thing."  
__. "That's perfectly in-character for Yamada." _Maizono sighed. _"What else?"  
__. "Not much."  
__. "Hey, do either of you know what time it is?" _Naegi asked.  
_. "It's about 4-ish." _Leon replied._ "Dude, there's a clock right over there."  
__. "There is?"  
__. "Yeah. My sense of time is off. How many days have we been in here, exactly?"  
__. "Well, let's see." _Maizono said_. "There was the first day where Oowada punched you. The second day where the two of us and Enoshima had a conversation at four in the morning and ended with Oogami trying to kill you. We had the class trial that evening, which ended with Oowada and Ishimaru holding a contest in the sauna. After which, most of us went to sleep. We're now in the middle of the third day. I think."  
__. "Oh boy. I could have sworn there was another day in there somewhere." _Naegi said.  
_. "That might be just cause there's been a running gag of you getting knocked out." _Leon commented.  
_. "I would hardly call that a 'running gag.'" _Maizono objected.  
_. "Alright, 'running occurrence', then?" _Leon compromised.  
_. "Dude, we've only been here three days."_ Hagakure said. _"That's messed up."  
__. "Yeah, I know."_ Naegi said.  
. Naegi's eyes narrowed. "_**But have we been in here for only three days? What about all that time we were knocked out? How long was that?"  
**_. "_Speaking of which, where's Ishimaru and Oowada?" _Maizono asked.  
. "_And Yamada?"_ Leon added.  
. _"Should we look for them?" _Naegi asked.  
. _"Eh. Why do we even need to look for them? " _Hagakure replied.  
._ "Because that way, we can confirm if they're alive." _Naegi replied.  
_. "You don't think they're be another death?"  
__. "Well, what I'm saying is that it narrows down potential times of death. How do I put this? You're assuming that if there's a murder, we'll find the body and commence another trial almost immediately. But what if we go whole days before seeing the murder victim. That makes the investigation even more difficult. Plus, it gives the culprit time to get rid of evidence, and let things change."  
__. "Oh, I see. I get ya point."  
__. "Since we've obviously covered the second floor,"_ Maizono said, "_Why don't we check back on the first floor? I'm sure they're in the gymansium or something."  
_. Leaving Fujisaki behind, the four of them decided to split up on the first floor. Maizono and Naegi had decided to check the gymansium half of the first floor while Leon and Hagakure went over the dorm half.  
_. "You don't seem to worried about them."_ Maizono said.  
._ "I'm not actually." _Naegi said. _"I don't think there's a murder anyway."  
__. "Hey, Naegi."  
__. "Yes?"  
__. "What would you do if I was murdered?"  
__. "I-uh-I-uh-I don't know. I don't really want to deal with that scenario. Generally speaking, I'd probably freak the hell out. No luck here. I wonder if Leon and Hagakure found them."  
_. Leon and Hagakure found them. All three of them.  
. _"There you guys are."_ Leon said._ "We shoulda known, those two would continue their sauna battle."  
__. "Yes."_ Yamada said. _"I was roped into being their judge, since Naegi wasn't anywhere to be found."  
__. "How long have they been in there?"_ Hagakure asked.  
_. "Not too long."  
__. "Geez, they'll get dehydrated."_ Leon commented.  
. Hagakure flipped the switch off, and Oowada and Ishimaru both came out.  
. _"What the hell, man?" _Oowada screamed.  
. _"You're both going to collapse from dehydration."_ Leon said. _"Call it a draw."  
_. "_Fine."_ Ishimaru said.  
_. "Ishimaru, Oowada."_ Celeste walked in. _"Don't tell me you guys didn't actually explore the second floor."  
__. "Hey, we do what we want."_ Oowada replied.  
_. "Yes, but you guys should still know the layout of whole school. It might come in handy. Now I regret mentioning my sauna discovery."  
__. "Whatever."  
_. Both Ishimaru and Oowada were severely panting.  
_. "You guys should re-hydrate. I found some sports drinks in the storeroom."  
_. Celeste turned and walked away.  
. _"Wait, the store room is open." _Hagakure said. _"What's in there?"  
_. _"How should we know?"_ Leon asked. _"We've been exploring the second floor all day."  
__. "Should we go to the store room now?"_ Yamada asked.  
._ "Yeah, sure." _Oowada said.  
. _"Give me a moment." _Ishimaru said.  
. Two moments later, Ishimaru was fully dressed once again.  
_. "Well, we might as well as go check out the storeroom."  
_. The four found the storeroom underwhelming. After exploring it for a few minutes, they all decided to head back to the cafeteria with the sports drinks they had found.  
_. "I wonder if Monokuma restocks on them."_ Ishimaru wondered.  
_. "Maybe, he restocks the fridge."_ Leon said.  
_. "When did you find that out?"_ Oowada asked.  
. _"I was going to the cafeteria after the first trial to get something to eat, and that's when he told me."  
__. "Is that so?"  
_. Ishimaru glanced up.  
_. "Is it possible that a light bulb might be procured from the store room?"  
__. "Why?_" Hagakure asked.  
_. "Because the bulb above us is no longer lit."  
__. "Oh yeah, that's been out already. I think Oogami might have damaged it when she attacked Naegi."  
__. "What makes you think it was Oogami?"_ Oowada asked.  
._ "Well, the rest of the bulbs work fine, and that's the only incident I can think of that might actually affect a single lightbulb."  
_. _"Or you know, it could have just burned out." _Hagakure said.  
._ "Clearly, you have never heard of Occam's Razor, classmate."_ Ishimaru said.  
_. "Occam's Razor?"_ Leon asked.  
_. "Occam's Razor states that the simpliest solution is usually the correct one. But regardless, the light bulb is out."  
_. _"You're going to go OCD all over it, aren't ya?" _Oowada said.  
_. "Dudes, does it even really matter?" _Leon asked. _"Clearly, it's been out already. And nobody noticed that the room got any darker."  
__. "Still, I must unscrew it."_ Ishimaru said as he got up on the table, and stood on his tip-toes. _"I can just barely reach it. It's been dislodged. I'm screwing it back in. Yaaa." _Ishimaru tumbled as he screwed the bulb back in. He hit the top of a chair before falling to the floor.  
._ "Hey, dude, are you all right?"  
__. "I think so. But I think I'm going to go to bed now. My side hurts like crazy now."  
__. "Well, the bulb's been screwed in now."_ Oowada said.  
. "_So, it wasn't burned out."_ Leon said. _"I guess my Oogami theory suddenly gains a bit of credence."  
_. Naegi walked in with Maizono.  
_. "So we just passed Ishimaru grimacing in pain. What in the world happened?"  
__. "He was changing a lightbulb." _Leon said_. "Or rather screwing in what turned out to be a loose lightbulb."  
__. "Hey, Naegs..." _Hagakure asked. _"Have you ever heard of Occam's Razor? Ish mentioned it before he took his tumble after fixing the bulb."  
__. "The theory that the simpliest solution is usually the correct one?"  
__. "See, how do you know that?" _Leon asked_.  
__. "It's amazing what you can find when you aimlessly browse Wikipedia long enough."  
__. "I'll take your word for it."  
__. "Well, I'm heading to bed now." _Naegi said._ "I still feel like sleeping. See you guys later."  
__. _Maizono slipped out as well. There was something she needed to check in the A/V Room.  
. _"Here it is. Naegi's video. Sorry about this breach of privacy."  
_. She slipped the video in... And she saw three people on the couch. Clearly, it was Naegi's parents, and his younger sister.  
. And then a staticized cut later, the couch they sat on was ripped to pieces. Gone in an instant.  
. "_Oh no. What happened to them? And do I tell Naegi now about these videos? Say Monokuma takes the videos away before I can show him. Would Naegi even believe me? Or would he just say I'm being paranoid and Monokuma's getting inside my head? It was bad enough about my video, but now there's his as well."_

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I have most of Chapter 15 written, but I'm waiting for audience reactions (and time) to further edit it. Please leave a review.


	15. Harems, Goats, Coconuts, and Cash-Money:

The story is really picking up steam now. Please leave a review.  
Chapter 15

. Naegi woke up to Monokuma's announcement on Day 4 with a sense of melancholy.  
. "_Day 4. Within the first two days, our numbers were whittled down from fifteen to thirteen. At this rate, they'll be another death today. And another trial."_  
. He got up and went to the kitchen. And there was Togami, drinking his Luwack coffee as usual.  
. "_Good morning, Naegi."  
. "Morning. Seen anybody else?"  
. "Ishimaru came in for several bottles of water. He was claiming he had a stomachache."  
. "Wouldn't have checking the storeroom for some medicine done him better? I'm sure I saw some things in there."  
. "In any case, I never expected any of us to get sick."  
. "Why?"  
. "Well, we're in a closed system. The only germs in here come from us. And as none of us were feeling ill on that first day..."  
. "So you're saying something is wrong."  
. "I'm saying that that sauna battle between Oowada and Ishimaru may not have been the best idea. Especially with Ishimaru taking a tumble like that afterwards."  
. "You heard?"  
. "Of course, I heard. Oowada was in here earlier in this morning, muttering about it."  
. "Yeah, he fell into the back of a chair, and then onto the floor."  
. "Good morning, gentlemen." _Celeste had entered._  
. "It seems a shame. Day 4, and even after two deaths and a second floor, there seems to be no more sign of leaving then there was on Day 1."  
. "I'm not surprised." _Togami said_. "If anyone knew of an easy way out of here without resorting to murder, wouldn't it have been executed by now?"  
. "So the solution is to put our heads together and come up with something, right?"_ Naegi said._  
. "No." _Celeste said._ "This is a practical thing. Even if we could come up with a plan, most, if not all potential candidates for implementation would require the element of surprise. And if everybody knew, the chances that Monokuma would find out and be able to prepare drastically go up."  
__. "Not bad. You seemed to have figure out as much." _Togami said_.  
_. And then Fujisaki walked in.  
_. "Fujisaki, what do you think is going to happen for Day 4?"  
__. "Day 4? Well, it's the 'Dawn of the New Day', so there's that."  
__. _Togami pounded his fist on the table in frustration.  
_. "Dang it, Fujisaki. What's that reference now?"  
__. "Majora's Mask. Why?"  
__. "I think Togami's not used to people making references that he doesn't get." _Celeste commented.  
_. "Oh no, his world view is expanding." _Naegi snarked._ "Call the authorities, the great Byakuya Togami is starting to realize the world can't be quantifed using libraries and financial theories."  
__. "Shut it, Naegi."  
__. "No, Togami. I don't think you get this. We're all trapped in here. Quirks and all. So if Fujisaki wants to continue to make references until the cows come home fine, Chihiro can do that. I'm willing to listen and pick them up and understand them. Besides, it's very helpful for keeping our minds off of this situation."  
__. "So you're trying to run away?"  
__. "I'm trying to say that you can't tackle every problem all the time. Everybody needs breaks."  
__. "Don't run away from your problems."  
__. "I'm not running away. I'm just advancing towards a solution in an alternate direction."  
__. "A clever one-liner and a quip. Is that all you have?"  
__. "No, it's not."  
__. "Your so-called luck doesn't count either. SDHSL Luckster is the stupidest title for an entrant to Hope's Peak I have ever heard of. And this is coming from someone who thinks the titles for Shaman and Otakus are stupid."  
__. "So what? I can be more than a Luckster."  
__. "Then prove it. Develop a skill here that no one else has. It's not like you have much else to do."  
__. "He could try being the SDHSL Harem-Master." _Leon said, casually walking in with his arms behind his head.  
. _"What?"_ Naegi said. _"I don't follow."  
_. _"You've got Maizono wrapped your finger. You've got chemistry with Kirigiri. And Enoshima apparently liked you enough to protect you with her very life. Huh, what's wrong?"  
__. "Nothing."  
_. _"We're not idiots, Makoto Naegi. Something Leon Kuwata said has clearly bothered you." _Celeste said. _"Now what is it?"_  
_. "None of your business. See you guys later." _Naegi said, walking out of the cafeteria.  
_. "That was mean, Leon." _Fujisaki said.  
_. "What did I say?"  
__. "How obtuse of you." _Togami said._ "The last thing Naegi needed to reminded about was Enoshima."  
__. "Oh yeah, good point."  
__._ Asahina passed Naegi on the way to the cafeteria.  
_. "Hey, what's wrong?"  
__. "Nothing."  
__. "You seem rather melancholy today. Cheer up!"  
__. "Yeah."  
__. "Did someone say something mean to you?"  
_. Asahina busted down the cafeteria door with Naegi in tow.  
_. "Alright, which one of you said something mean to Naegi?"  
__. "Don't look me." _Togami said_.  
__. "I think your attention needs to be directed at Leon." _Celeste said.  
_. "Hey, don't put me in this position." _Leon replied.  
_. "Leon, what did you say?" _Asahina scathingly asked.  
_. "Hey, Togami was saying that Luckster wasn't a legitimate talent. So I made a joking suggestion that Naegi could become the SDHSL Harem Master instead. And it reminded Naegi of the fact that Enoshima had literally laid down her life for him."  
__._ Asahina paused for a moment_. "Huh."  
__. "And with the way you reacted to seeing Naegi melancholy, apparently that's a viable statement."  
__. _Asahina blushed. _"Oh uh, my bad."  
__. _Naegi started laughing.  
_. "Why is there all this laughter?" _Yamada walked in.  
_. "Oh, it's nothing. We were just discussing how Naegi can get girls to fall for him so easily, he might earn the title SDHSL Harem-Master." _Leon chuckled slightly. But there was a distinctive edge to it that Celeste failed to miss.  
. _"As SDHSL Otaku, I have experience with harem works. I have decided to insert one into my most recent work." _Yamada said._ "But the twists and turns for each of the love interests winning the main female's heart will be sudden and unexpected. I could say more, but I risk spoiling it."  
_. _"Hey, Yamada, unless one of them turns into a goat or is like secretly an assassin or something, spoiler warning, nobody cares."_ Naegi snarked.  
. "_Master Makoto Naegi, why would I make one of my males turn into a goat?"  
__. "Wait, do you mean a goat like the animal, or the G.O.A.T.?"_ Asahina asked.  
. _"What the hell does G.O.A.T. Even stand for?_" Leon queued.  
. "_Greatest Of All Time."_ Asahina replied.  
_. "Right."  
__. "Goat the animal?"_ Naegi said.  
_. "Okay. Why a goat?"_ Fukawa said. _"I overheard this conversation before I walked in. No, seriously, making a character turning into a mountain goat would be an absolute terrible idea."  
__. "So when are you going publish that romance novel?_" Leon quipped.  
_. "Hey, I just said a goat."_ Naegi said. _"You turned it into a mountain goat."  
__. "Whatever."  
__. "You'd have to make it a doctor/medical student in human form!"_ Fujisaki suddenly interjected.  
_. "What?"  
__. _Fujisaki sighed._ "It's a reference to the Time Meddler serial from Doctor Who. 'But I'm not a mountain goat, I prefer walking to climbing any day.' It's said by the First Doctor."  
__. _Togami facepalmed._ "I'm out of here. I'll be in the library. While you lot are talking about assassin goats and stuff, I'm going to actually learn something."  
__. "Hey, assassin goats wielding AK-47s and shit. I'd totally be down for seeing that as a movie." _Leon said.  
_. "If you want to see a flop, that is." _Celeste said. _"It'd be a miracle if its Rotten Tomatoes score was anything better than absolutely atrocious."  
__. "The CGI would be absolutely terrible. But the idea still isn't as insane as a Zelda game set on Mars." _Fujisaki said.  
_. "A Zelda game on Mars?" _Naegi said. "_I disagree. That's way more plausible than a bunch of assassin goats."  
_. "_Hell, let's go all the away, let's make it a goat who can breathe underwater!"_ Leon said.  
. "_So a goat that's also part fish?"_ Yamada said. "_You just described my Western zodiac sign, the Capricorn."  
_. _"Oh, another note, the tropic of Capricorn is the southernmost latitude where the sun can be directly overhead."_ Fujisaki said. _"It and the tropic of Cancer for the Northern Hemisphere are the borders of the tropical zone and the temperate zone. Or as I like to say, the tropics are the boundaries between where you can get coconuts and where you can't get coconuts."  
__. "Back to the Monty Python references, again, Fujisaki?"_ Celeste asked.  
. "_You betcha."  
_.  
All of a sudden, Monokuma made an announcement.

_. "Everybody gather in the gymnasium. I have an important announcement."  
. _Soon, everybody except Ishimaru had gathered into gymnasium_.  
. "Where's eyebrows? I suppose someone can tell him later. Alright, it occurs to me that this game is being seriously derailed by all of you bonding. Even with Togami being a massive prick."  
. "HEY!"  
. "Since this game is stalling, I've decided to incentive a second murder."  
. "If you murder one of your classmates and get away with it, here's a bunch of money totaling to two million."  
. _Ten people were stunned. Only Togami had anything to say, and he wasted no time attempting to deconstruct the motive._  
. "First off, what units? Are we talking about American Dollars, Yen, Euro? I hope you're not talking about Canadian Dollars. Not to mention the exchange rates, and where did you get it? I imagine suddenly printing two million would destabilize the currency."  
. _And suddenly, the air thickened. Murder was in the air. And it wasn't leaving anytime soon. And then Naegi realized that Monokuma had said nothing about a time limit. Maizono looked worried the most.  
. Now, Naegi was worried. If Monokuma had motives lined up and ready to go, why hadn't he unveiled them before now? He had manipulated Oogami into attacking him. Was he not confident enough in the desire to get out?  
. _"More importantly, will someone actually take the bait?"_  
. The idea of one of the people he'd grown accustomed to murdering someone else bothered him.  
. _"Glad to know I still have a conscience, but what can I do?"  
_. While everybody else spent the rest of the day avoiding each other, Hagakure sat in the A/V Room.  
. _"A Murder motive? Huh. I wonder what happens now."_  
. Hagakure glanced at a box.

. "_You can come out now, Fukawa."_  
_. "Yes, my White Knight."_  
_. "What were you doing?"_  
_. "Watching you read."_  
_. "Why?"_  
_. "Because you're my White Knight."_  
_. "Why?"_  
_. "What?"_  
_. "Why?_  
_. "I'm sorry?"_  
_. "Why do you consider me your 'White Knight'?"_  
_. "Y-y-y-o-u're an intellectual."_  
_. "Interesting. I am indeed quite the intellectual."_  
_  
. _The next morning everybody except Ishimaru, Oowada, Hagakure, and Yamada had gathered together to discuss the motive._  
. "Money? How uncreative." _Celeste said.  
. "_Regardless, to some people, money is money."_ Togami said. "_And people can always use money."  
. "You're the heir. You have plenty of money already."_ Leon said.  
_. "I can make that amount of money by investing anyway."_ Togami said. "_I'm good enough at the stock market. Sure, it'll take me four to six months, but assuming the markets don't collapse or do anything screwy, I can do it. I've done it several times over."_  
. _"Are you even allowed to do the stock market?" _Naegi asked.  
. _"I am Byakuya Togami."  
. "That's ... not an answer."  
. "Anyway, so what do we do about it?_" Fukawa said.  
. _"There's nothing we can do."_ Celeste said. _"Unfortunately, he's chosen a motive that we have no safeguards against. Unless Togami wants to start dishing out his personal fortune as collateral against murder, there's really nothing we can do."  
. "Yeah, plebeians, that's not happening."_ Togami said.  
. Maizono's anxiety was getting worse. _**"There's going to be a honest-to-goodness murder this time. It's not going to be double KO like last time. There's going to be a murder and the only thing we can do is avoid being the victim and try to have alibis whenever possible. And I would have thought that those videos would have been his 'motive' for a murder. Maybe he's saving them for later."**  
_. And then Oowada burst in._  
"Alright, you bastards, which one of you did it? Which one of you murdered Ishimaru for the money?"  
"What?"  
"Ishimaru's dead. I know, Monokuma just let me into his room."  
. _Fukawa instantly scurried away from the scene, afraid of Oowada_.  
. The rest of the class just stared in shock.  
. "Where's the body?" _Togami asked._  
. "In his room." _Oowada replied forlornly as he punched a side table._  
. _The other seven people still in the room went to Ishimaru's room where Monokuma's announcement played. _"**Ding Dang Dong. We got a corpse here."**  
. _"_Wasn't there supposed to be a second half to that announcement?_" Naegi muttered.  
. Ishimaru lay there. He was shirtless. Except for the lack of color in his skin, and a few bruises, there was nothing to suggest that he was dead. His eyes were wide open, and his room was immaculate as expected.  
. "_There's no murder weapon. There's no trace of anything."_ Maizono said.  
. _"His room key is still in his room." _Asahina said.  
. _"So this is a closed-room death." _Togami said. "_This one's going to be interesting._"  
. _"So we need to figure out how to the culprit was able to get in, finish Ishimaru, and get out. And all without leaving any external marks beyond a few bruises in the ribcage."_  
. "_You know, Fukawa could actually take a look at this crime scene."_ Togami remarked. _"There's no blood."_  
. _"Speaking of Fukawa, wasn't she in the cafeteria this morning?"_ Celeste asked.  
. _"Yeah, she ran off." _Togami replied. _"Maizono, you find her. Naegi, go get Yamada. Leon, go get Hagakure."_  
. A total of twenty minutes later, the three students had been retrieved with Yamada and Hagakure sporting the appropriate looks of horror.  
. _"There's no blood on Ishimaru." _Fukawa said. _"And Maizono has told me, it's a closed room."  
. "So I assume I should stand guard with Master Mondo Oowada again."_ Yamada said.  
. _"Speaking of Oowada, where is he?" _Celeste asked._  
. "Nobody's seen him?" _Togami said._ "Maybe he just doesn't want to deal with Ishimaru's death."  
. "That's not good." _Naegi said._ "We need him to guard it the crime scene with Yamada while the rest of us search around places. I think the storeroom is a good place to start."  
. "Why don't we have Hagakure join Yamada on guard duty until we find Oowada?" _Togamisuggested._  
. "That's not a bad idea." _Celeste agreed._  
. "Well, without anything even remotely leading to a murdering weapon, we don't know where else to check?" _Leon said. _"There's no murder weapon to start with. Nobody's seen him since even before Monokuma's motive yesterday. So the time of death isn't even known."  
. "I guess Monokuma's not giving us a Monokuma file this time." _Togami commented. _  
. "Maybe because the basic info would make it so obvious whom the murderer is." _Celeste said._  
. "So that's another lead." _Leon said._ "I'm off to the storeroom now."  
. "Guess inductive reasoning isn't so bad after all, is it Celeste?" _Togami commented._  
. "No, I suppose not." _Celeste admitted._ "Well, I'll take my leave and look for something on the second floor that could have caused those bruises."  
. "Alright. Take Fukawa with you."  
. "Why?"  
. "She's spent almost as much time on the second floor as I have. She has a good eye."  
. "Thank you Byakuya." _Fukawa swooned._  
. "Get going you two, even though Monokuma hasn't appeared yet, there's bound to be a time limit."  
._ Meanwhile, Monokuma watched from his secure location._  
. "I wonder if I should tell them yet. Naa. It wouldn't matter now. There's going to be a trial anyway. Speaking of which I need to let Kyoko Kirigiri out. I did promise them that Kirigiri would return to them for the investigative period of the next trial."  
. _Monokuma went down to the room._  
. "I'm letting you out Kyoko Kirigiri. There's been a murder. And it wouldn't be fair if you didn't know what was going on for this trial."  
. "What? There's been a murder."  
. "Oh yes. Out you pop."  
. _Kirigiri gratefully rode the elevator up to the first floor. Monokuma had neglected to mention who had been killed.  
. _"Kirigiri!"_ She was greeted by Maizono and Naegi.  
_. "Hey, you two. Who died?"  
. "Ishimaru."  
. "Ishimaru? That's disappointing."  
. "Yeah."  
. "I'll ask you to fill me a more detailed manner later, Naegi. What are the main events?"  
. _Maizono pouted at that last request._  
. "Well, not much, actually. Monokuma actually introduced a motive yesterday to induce a murder and judging from Ishimaru's corpse, it appears to have worked."  
. "What was the motive?"  
. "Two million."  
. "Two million what?"  
. "Funny thing. Togami had the exact same response. But do the units really matter?"  
. "As long as they weren't Canadian dollars, I suppose."  
. "And Togami said the exact same thing about that as well."  
. "Analytic minds think alike."  
. "I thought the phrase was 'Great Minds Think Alike'."  
. "We're getting off topic. So, as far as we know, someone killed Ishimaru for two million."  
. "Yeah."  
. "Do we have a time of death?"  
. "No. There's no Monokuma file. And Ishimaru hadn't been seen alive since even before the motive had been introduced. As far as I know, Togami was last to see him the morning before Monokuma introduced the motive."  
. "How interesting. Then Togami is where I'll start."  
. "Kirigiri? You got something, don't you? Something the rest of us aren't seeing. Mind sharing?"  
. "Not until I see Ishimaru's body. I'll need to see the corpse. This is our going to be a first real test here."  
. _Naegi sighed.  
. "_What is it, Naegi?"_ Maizono asked._  
. "Well, I just realized that even if we figured out who killed Ishimaru, there's still going to be one less of us. We just got Kirigiri back and now we're going to lose someone else. We're going to end up with eleven any way you look at it."  
. "Charming sentiments. But we'll lose everybody if we don't solve this case." _Kirigiri said as she walked over from the red doors back to the dorm area.  
. _"I have a question. Why would anybody be using the sauna right now?"_  
. Naegi and Maizono exchanged glances.  
. _"I'm going to take that as a 'This might be very bad.'"_  
. The three dashed over to the sauna. There was a bunch of tape on the front of the door, and it was bolted into place with a pair of scissors parallel to the door, wrapped in duct tape. The dial was turned up to the max. Kirigiri immediately shut off the sauna,and went to work undoing the scissors from the door. It slid open.  
. "_**Ding Dang Dong. We got a corpse here. We'll be holding a Class Trial pretty soon, so make good use of the time you've got."  
. **_And upon hearing that announcement, the rest of the students froze in place.

Please leave a review and share this story with other people who might enjoy it.  
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I've got most of Chapter 16. (Or enough to be confident in Chapter 15's finish)


	16. Internal Consistency of Systems

Chapter 16: _  
. _Maizono screamed. A steaming corpse laid face-down in the sauna. Its arms were outstretched toward the door. It was Mondo Oowada. The SDHSL Outlaw Biker was dead. Everybody else came running over._  
. "Who's dead?" _Togami asked. _"Oh, Kirigiri, you're back."  
. "Oowada. And yes, I'm back. Monokuma told me that there was a murder, and apparently that was the key to let me out."  
. "Two murders in one day." _Celeste said._  
. "Where's Hagakure and Yamada?" _Kirigiri asked._  
. "They're still guarding Ishimaru's body."_ Leon said._  
. "Tell me everything anybody' s discovered about Ishimaru's body." _Kirigiri demanded._  
. "What? You can't just return here, and starting taking charge." _Togami said._  
. "What about Oowada? When was the last time anybody saw him alive?" _Kirigiri asked._  
. "He was the one that discovered Ishimaru's body." _Fukawa said. "_That was about 25 to 35 minutes ago."_  
. "_It's not a suicide, is it?"_ Asahina asked.  
. _"No."_ Kirigiri said. "_The sauna door was locked from the outside, and the switch is on the outside."  
. "So Oowada's body has been here for about twenty minutes. Twenty minutes on the maximum temperature like that can definitely kill someone. Leon, Asahina, I want you two to guard the scene."  
. "Alright." _Leon sighed. _"Naegi, can you explore the storeroom in my place?"  
. "Sure."  
. "Asahina?"  
. "Not a problem."  
. "Naegi, Maizono, take me to Ishimaru's body."_  
. Togami was glaring at Kirigiri.  
. "_Problem, Togami?"_ Celeste asked.  
. "_I'll be on the second floor if anybody needs me. There's something I need to consult."_ Togami said, examing the scissors.  
. _"Wait, before everybody goes their seperate ways. Here's something for you all! Monokuma File #2 is now available on your Student ID-s."_ Monokuma had appeared.  
._ "Hey, Monokuma, why didn't you give us this file when we found Ishimaru's dead body?"  
. "I have my reasons. Let's just say I didn't want to interrupt anything."  
. "Your reasons."  
. "Wait." _Kirigiri called out._ "I have been informed that you opened Ishimaru's door to let Oowada in so that the body could be discovered. Since Oowada has now been killed, you're the only one we can that true?"  
. "Absolutely. I opened the door for Oowada. Oh yeah, Ishimaru went very slowly. That's all I'm saying."  
. "A slow death. That's absolutely horrible." _Maizono said_.  
. "Nothing we can do about now." _Kirigiri said, even more brisk than usual. _"Maizono, Naegi. Walk with me. Give me the details."  
. "Well, let's see. Oowada was last seen after he told us that he found Ishimaru's corpse." Naegi said.  
. "No. Not that. I meant, was there anything strange that happened to Ishimaru in the days leading up to his death?"  
. "Not that I'm aware of. You'll going to have to ask around."  
. "Anything strange at all?"  
. " As you know, Monokuma presented us with the motive to murder. However, the only person who didn't know about that motive was Ishimaru. He was feeling ill at by that point, and so missed Monokuma's announcement."_  
. Kirigiri's eyes widened slightly. _**"A slow death. It's like Ishimaru's death was already beginning even before the motive had been introduced. But if that's the case, could the motive have nothing to do with Ishimaru's death, and instead only be related to Oowada's death?"**_ She thought.  
. She reached Ishimaru's corpse and checked the Monokuma file.  
. "_**Time of death: 8:43 A.M.**_" She looked at the clock, it was about 11:15 now.  
. But as she noticed the body, something seemed off about it.  
. "_That's strange. Monokuma's death says he died at 8:43 A.M., yet the signs of decomposition indicate that it's been longer than a day."_ Kirigiri said.  
._ "Where's Naegi?"_ she asked of Maizono.  
_. "He went to the storeroom. Do you remember Leon's request?" _Maizono said.  
_. "Get him back here. He has sharp eyes."_ Kirigiri said.  
_. "Are you sure?"_ Celeste said. _"The rules do say we are free to investigate as we choose."  
. "Perhaps I could serve as his replacement instead?"_ Maizono suggested, shooting daggers underneath her voice.  
_. "It appears the rumors are true, and Monokuma's prediction was right on the money. Master Makoto Naegi is indeed becoming the SDHSL Harem Master." _Yamada said.  
_. "Yamada, you are not helping." _Maizono said.  
. _"What?" _Kirigiri said, in the flattest tone possible. _"Harem Master? He's the Luckster. Not the Harem Master. That's thoroughly unrealistic. Besides, there's still Maizono."_  
_. "That's right! He's mine! And so help me if that doesn't happen, I will-!" _Maizono suddenly stopped and clamped a hand over her mouth.  
. _You just went full yandere. Never go full yandere." _Yamada told a blushing Maizono.  
. _"Shut up, Yamada."  
__. _Kirigiri chuckled. _"Right. So, have you two noticed anything off from this room?" _She looked around_. _Not a single thing appeared to be out of place. The books were all there. The banners were neatly in line. The only thing off was Ishimaru's corpse.  
_. "So it appears Ishimaru's been dead for over 24 hours."  
__. "'Giri, are you serious?"_ Hagakure asked.  
_. "I'm dead serious, and ' 'Giri' ?"_ Kirigiri replied. _"Maizono, can you do me a favor?"  
__. "Yeah?"  
__. "Check his lint roller, Fujisaki. Fujisaki?"  
__. "Fujisaki is with Celeste. They're seeing what Togami is doing on the second floor."_ Maizono said.  
. Kirigiri continued to scroll through the Monokuma file.  
. _**"Cause of Death: Internal Bleeding, and a broken rib."  
**_. "_So what could have caused it? Some cleaning detergent from the laundry room? I know where I'm looking nex_t."  
_. "Kirigiri, where are you going now?"  
__. "Has someone been doing laundry?"  
__. "The only person who's done laundry while we've been in here that I know of was Enoshima."  
__. "Really?"  
__. "Yeah. It was that first night."  
_. Kirigiri walked over to the laundry room. She searched around. No liquid detergent was present whatsoever. There were some detergent packs, but no liquid. She'd have to take some time to double-check the laundry room.  
_. "That's strange. I'll have to check the storeroom."  
_. Naegi was not having any luck in the storeroom. He didn't even know what he would be looking for. The use of tape? A pair of scissors? Something that could have let them lock Ishimaru in without using his key? He spotted a sports bag with a blue jersey.  
_. "Wait a minute. Sports drinks. And it looks like some of them have been drunk."  
__. "Naegi."  
__. "Kirigiri."  
__. "Discovered anything?"  
__. "Maybe. When you get the chance, ask who's been drinking sports drinks."  
__. "Why?"  
__. "You'll see."  
__. "Fair enough."  
__. "You have your reasons."  
_. Togami was examining an old favorite file of his: Genocider Shou's case file. The circumstances had changed though. What was previously an odd pasttime of his now became essential to his survival.  
. "No doubt about it. This is the same scissors Genocider Shou uses. We've got a homicidal maniac in here, but who could it be? I've got it down to ten suspects. Literally a ten percent chance of getting this right. Celeste looks to be the best candidate. She's the Queen of Liars."  
. He re-read the file. ' 'Genocider Shou' looks to be some sort of alternate personality.' '  
. "_Alternate personality? Alternate Personality? Celeste can act, but she doesn't have an alternate personality..."  
_. _"What now?"_ Celeste asked. "_There you are."  
__. "Yes, here I am."  
__. "H-h-ave you discovered anything?"_ Fujisaki asked.  
. _"Yes."  
__. "What is it?"  
__. "That the scissors used to barricade the door belonged to Genocider Shou."  
_._ "Genocider Shou? You mean that deranged serial killer that nobody knows the identity of. Does that mean Genocider Shou is inside these walls? That proves problematic indeed."  
_. Fujisaki squeaked in fear. _"A serial killer inside these walls? What's stopping Shou from killing all of us before a trial even reaches the room?"  
_. "_This!"_ Monokuma popped out. "_I do have a new rule in place here you go. If you open up your Student Ids, there it is."  
_. **"' No culprit may kill more than two participants in this academic colliseum."  
**._ "Well, that takes care of that." _Celeste said. _"Though it begs the question why this rule wasn't implemented in the first place."  
__. "Because to be perfectly honest, I was kinda hoping Genocider Shou wouldn't be an issue."_ Monokuma admitted.  
. _"What?"_ Fujisaki said.  
. _"How interesting." _Togami commented.  
. "_How so?_" Celeste asked.  
. _"Well, I had been playing around with the idea that Genocider Shou was the mastermind, but this game doesn't fit the M.O of Shou, and based off of Monokuma's statement now, Genocider is probably one of the students. I'd actually like to meet Shou before this is all said and done."  
_. _"Careful what you wish for."_ Celeste said.  
. _"Lot more interesting than say, Fukawa." _Togami replied. _"That girl won't leave me alone."  
__. "Can't you see that she wuvs her White Knight?" _Monokuma cooed  
._ "Shut up with that accent. It's sickeningly."_ Togami seethed.  
_. "From what I see, it's clear that she also loves books." _Celeste said. _"As much if not greater than you."  
__. "While her tastes are better than say, Yamada's, romance novels are not my cup of coffee."  
__. "I thought the phrase was 'cup of tea'." _Celeste noted.  
_. "But I don't drink tea. So the phrase is inaccurate. I drink Luwack coffee." _Togami said.  
_. "Um-um-um-um."  
__. "Something to say, Fujisaki?"_ Celeste asked.  
. "_You just said that you thought Genocider was one of the students. Are we... just skating past that?"_ Fujisaki asked.  
. _"It'll come up at the trial, believe me."_ Togami said. _"But for now, the other students shouldn't be made aware of it."  
__. "Why not?" _Celeste asked.  
. _"Isn't it obvious?" _Togami said. _"I intend to catch the murderer in a trap. Only someone who knows that Shou uses these particular scissors for murder would be able to use them."  
__. "Perhaps they just grabbed them from the store room?" _Celeste said.  
. _"They're custom-made." _Togami replied. "_All the more reason to believe that Shou is inside the walls of this school."  
_. Celeste sighed. _"That's the last thing we need, an innocent serial killer."  
__. "What do you mean?"  
__. "I mean, suppose we figure out who did it, but it wasn't even Genocider Shou in the first place. It was just a student, but we expose Genocider Shou anyway. We've lost 4 students. We're down to 11. Down to 10 after we find the culprit. And one of those 10 is Genocider Shou. Who can kill two students of their own. So we've just been cut down to eight survivors at best."  
__. "That's scary."_ Fujisaki chimed in.  
. _"Are you saying you're Genocider Shou, Celeste?"_ Togami argued. "_Because that's what you're implying."  
__. "I am NOT Genocider Shou, Togami." _Celeste smiled.  
. "_We'll see." _Togami replied.  
. **"' No culprit may kill more than two participants in this academic colliseum.' ** _I wonder what's that all about." _Asahina said, looking at her student handbook.  
. "_No idea." _Leon admitted. _"Maybe it's to prevent some student from just killing everybody else to get out."  
__. "Oh, I get it."_ Asahina said. _"If there's no other students, there's no trial. No trial means the culprit can't be found guilty."  
__. "And if the culprit isn't found guilty, then they can leave." _Leon finished. "_Makes sense. But you would have thought an oversight like that would have been accounted for at the very beginning."  
__. "Hey, Leon."  
__. "Yeah."  
__. "Do you think we have a chance of finding the culprit this time? I mean, last time, it was so obvious what happened. There was no cover-up whatsoever."  
__. "We'll have to figure out who killed Mondo."  
__. "And Ishimaru."  
__. "And Ishimaru."  
__. "What if there are two separate culprits, who do we vote for?"  
__. "We'll cross the bridge when we get there."  
__. _Asahina turned to look Oowada's body. _"He looks so... so..."  
__. "So... so what?"  
__. "So scalded. I can't imagine how painful it must have been for him."  
__. "Unfortunately, something tells me someone will end up going a worse way."  
__. "Yeah, you're probably right. And that's horrible to think about."  
__. "We've been trapped in here against our will, and are told to kill the people whom should have been our classmates. If that doesn't leave a psychological mark, what does?"  
__. "Quite right." _a third person said.  
_. "Kyoko!"  
__. "All right, you two. I'm done looking at Ishimaru's body. Now to move onto Oowada's. And since the two of you are the athletic talents in here, I have a quesiton for both of you."  
__. "What is it?" Asahina asked.  
__. "Have either of you been drinking sports drinks?"  
__. "I haven't."  
__. "I have." _Leon admitted. _"So did Ishimaru, Oowada, and Hagakure. We drank them all together a couple of nights ago. Why?"  
__. "I have one more question for you, Leon. Do you know if the package containing them had been open prior to the four of getting yours."  
__. "No. The seal was unbroken."  
__. "I see. I'll have to take your word for it."  
__. "You can ask Hagakure about it, he'll back me up."  
__. "I was going to... at the trial."  
__. _Kirigiri began inspecting the door. She stepped inside the sauna, and closed the sliding door almost all the way.  
_. "Hey!"  
__. "Punch marks. And more importantly, punch marks that are even. Oowada didn't go down without a fight."  
__. "What do those punch marks mean?"  
__. "It means Oowada was conscious the whole time he was getting burned alive. And an odd note is that he was punching perpendicular to the door."  
__. "So?" _Asahina asked.  
. _"It means that the force exerted by Oowada's punches was practically zero."_ Fujisaki said, walking in.  
. _"Fujisaki, I thought you were with Celeste."  
__. "I was. She went to explore the kitchen for clues."  
__. "Wait, I'm confused." _Leon said. "_I'm no good with physics. What the hell are you talking about exactly?"  
__. "It means that while Oowada's punches were denting the sauna door, he wasn't actually punching it open."  
__. "What?"  
__. "The door opens ninety degrees from Oowada's punches. Ordinarily, the force of Oowada's punches would be force times the cosine of the degree between the door and the punch. And it is. The problem is that the cosine of ninety degrees is zero."  
__. "Huh?" _Leon said.  
_. "All I'm saying is that he might have stood a chance if he had punched at an angle, and also further from the door hinges. But I doubt Oowada knew about physics."  
__. "Wow, Fujisaki. That's impressive. When did you learn that?" _Asahina said.  
_. "I perused that Physics textbook I found in the library." _Fujisaki replied.  
_. "Well, how about that." _Kirigiri replied_. "It appears I've missed some developments."  
_. **"**_Indeed, you have._" Leon noted.  
. Celeste was having no luck with the kitchen. There didn't seem to be any direct clues to Ishimaru's or Oowada's death.  
. "_The only thing I've noticed is that one of the knives from that knife set over there is missing. That may be a clue. But given the fact that neither of the victims have knife wounds, I wonder... is it possible that the murderer has a knife wound instead? But nobody was bleeding enough for that to happen."  
_. Her mind began to wander.  
. _"I haven't seen Fukawa since we reached the second floor together. We both went our seperate ways there."  
_. She contented herself with making some tea.  
. And then Monokuma's annoucement that time was up.  
. _"Alright, everybody. Since you guys all know the drill, meet up in front for the door."  
_. Celeste sighed, and went in front of the room. She was the third person there after Naegi and Maizono.  
._ "And so it begins. Trial Number Two." _Naegi commented.  
. The anxiety only increased as more and more people showed up.  
_. "Without Ishimaru or Oowada, this group seems a lot more quiet now."_ Leon commented.  
._ "Cut the wistful reflection. We're going have to find the murderer."_ Togami said. _"Or murderers."  
_. Kirigiri was the last one to show up with Fukawa in tow.  
_. "I don't want to go. I don't want to go. These trials. ARGH!"_ Fukawa said, clutching her head.  
_. "Well, being a part of the trial is mandatory." _Monokuma said, popping out.  
_. "Yes, but..."_ Celeste started.  
. "_Yes, but what?"  
__. "Yes, but there's also a rule saying that there is no restriction in terms of movement around the school for exploration. That being said, it is NOT a rule that participation in the trial has to take place in the trial room itself."  
__. "What are you saying?"  
__. "What am I saying is that Kirigiri being isolated in between trials one and two wasn't something that could be done within the rules because you limited her ability to explore."  
__. "Oh, the trial room is special."  
_. _"So are you saying that the rules don't apply in the trial room? If that's the case, then your rule saying that the losers of the trial have to die gets thrown out as well. And by that logic, we can all attack you with impunity once we reach the trial room."  
__. "Celeste." _Naegi whispered. _"I get what you're trying to do, but really, you want to play these cards now."  
_. "_I have to play these cards now."  
_. Monokuma took a step back. "_Well this is bear-y interesting. Bear-y interesting indeed. You are good._ _You are very good indeed."  
__. "Well, I did say we would have to adapt."  
__. "And that includes combining rules to your advantage." _Togami said. "_Well, that's inventive. I never would have thought to do that."  
__. "I can add a rules, you know."_ Monokuma said.  
. "_But can you add rules that go against other, pre-existing rules?"_ Togami said. _"Otherwise, that kinda goes against your whole motive of proving us fallible. You can't prove us as fallible as you like if you have to use a number of exterior constraints to get us to murder each other. Kinda defeats the premise,  
doesn't it?"  
_. If Monokuma could be surprised, he would be.  
. _"I never expected them to start using their own rules against me, by combining them! I underestimated their intelligence."_


	17. Serial-esy? This is F'd Up

_As there is no tvtropes page for this story, (how notable do you think this is, ... System Restore?), reviews are the only way I can gauge reactions. Please leave a review. (The longer and more in depth the better)_

As two new signs went up for Ishimaru and Oowada, the hearts went down, and the second trial was underway. This time the trial was blu-ish.  
_. "Well, how should we approach this?"_ Celeste asked. _"Should we start with who killed Ishimaru or who killed Oowada?"  
. "Let's start with Oowada." _Naegi said. "_We have a much chance of figuring out who did it, and figuring out his death may give us something to go on for Ishimaru's murder."_  
_. "Fair enough." _Togami said. _"The last time any of us saw Oowada alive was when he came rushing in to inform us of Ishimaru's demise."  
. "Let's ignore Ishimaru and his closed room for now."_ Kirigiri said.  
_. "Yeah, that's what I'm doing." _Togami said. _"Anyway, the only people who weren't there were Ishimaru, the other victim, Hagakure, and Yamada."  
. "Are you saying that either Yams or I murdered Oowada?"_ Hagakure said.  
. "_Why not?" _Togami said_. "Neither of you were there in the cafeteria when Oowada rushed into a rage over Ishimaru's death."  
. "Using your inductive reasoning, Togami?"_ Celeste said._ "Inductive reasoning can backfire spectacularly."  
. "Well, say what you will, I've used it to narrow down the list of potential suspects for Oowada's culprit."  
. "If you say so."  
. _Kirigiri said. _"Inductive reasoning is flawed. Let's use deductive reasoning instead."  
. "See, Kyouko Kirigiri agrees with me." _Celeste smiled._  
. "Do my ears detect a potential duo?" _Yamada said._  
. "Yamada. Now is not the time." _Maizono said._  
. "A-a-re you shipping them?" _Asahina asked._ "What?"  
. "What? Without Ishimaru..."  
. "Yamada, enough." _Naegi said with deadly stoicism_. "Shipping, really dude? No wonder you're such an outcast."  
. "Naegi?" _Maizono asked._  
. "Really? Dude, our classmates are dead. That doesn't matter to you. That doesn't matter to you at all."_ Naegi said_. "We've all been put in a situation where the wrong move can result in our demise. And you're still thinking like this is an anime or manga."  
. "Master Makoto Naegi, on behalf of otakus everywhere, I will defend them from your attack. What's wrong with being an otaku?"  
. "Nothing."  
. "So then what's the problem?"  
. "The problem is most people don't understand you. Can't get on your wavelength. Over these last few days, you've proven yourself to be quite secluded only coming out because you have to. You've willing isolated yourself out of belief that you're somehow more superior than everybody else. In short, the problem is being an otaku isn't enough. You may have gotten here by being an otaku, but now you have to be more."  
. "Be more how?"  
. "Do something else. Show there's more to you than just otaku-related things."  
. "You make references to anime and manga all the time, Mr. Harem-Master."  
. "RIGHT THERE. RIGHT THERE. You're confronted with something and you immediately jump to a cliche anime and manga trope. First of all, anime and manga is not all there is to me. Second of all, f**k you, you think I wanted Enoshima to lay down her life for me?"  
. _Everybody's eyes widened. Naegi cursing was not something anybody had ever expected to hear.  
. _"Whoa, dude."_ Leon said.  
_. "Naegi." _Maizono said.  
. Kirigiri sighed. _"Well now that's gotten out of the way. Let's get back to what happened to Oowada."  
. "Alright."_ Fujisaki said.  
_. "Just to be clear, who were the three people to discover Oowada's body?" _Asahina asked.  
_. "It was myself, Naegi, and Kirigiri." _Maizono said. _"Kirigiri had just been released from her 'imprisonment' in between trials."  
. "Which I still find suspicious." _Fukawa muttered.  
. _"Anyway, the two of us had gone over to the red doors to greet Kirigiri back and inform her about Ishimaru's body being discovered."  
. "I know._" Kirigiri said.  
_. "You knew?" _Maizono said.  
_. "Yeah, Monokuma said he was releasing me because there had been a murder."  
. "So that was Ishimaru's murder?"_ Fukawa said.  
. "_I can only assume so."_ Kirigiri said.  
. "I_t all ties back to Ishimaru's death."_ Leon said, scratched his head. _"Perhaps we should try to solve Ishimaru's death first."  
. "With that closed room? Forget it."_ Fujisaki said.  
_. "Wait, A murder. As in the singular." _Fukawa said. _"Is it possible that Oowada murdered Ishimaru and then killed himself in the sauna?"_  
._ "What?"_ Asahina asked. "_Why would he do that?"_  
. "_Well, perhaps he secretly hated all of us, and wanted all of us to die. I mean, this is the guy who punched Naegi in the face."_ Fukawa said. _"I mean, he was the one that reported that Ishimaru was dead. That seems awfully suspicious to me."  
. "Aw man."_ Leon messed with his hair._ "That means we wouldn't solve Oowada's murder because it was a suicide. What happens if we have to rule a suicide?"  
. "You vote who caused the death of someone. If you commited suicide, then you've caused the death of yourself." _Monokuma explained.  
. Naegi was still somewhat puzzled.  
. "_No, wait. I think Leon is onto something."  
. "What do you mean?" _Togami said.  
. **"Well, perhaps we don't have to figure out who did it, but potentially how they did it. That may lead somewhere."  
. "Do you have something**?" Celeste said. "_Let's hear it. Let's hear how you think Ishimaru died."  
. "Well, first off, when I was exploring the store room. I noticed that the sports drinks had been opened. Who had been drinking them?" _Naegi asked._  
. "That would be me, Oowada, Ishimaru, and Hagakure._" Leon admitted.  
. "_But not Yamada?"_ Togami asked.  
. _"No."_ Leon said.  
_. "So that just leaves... Hagakure for Oowada's body."  
; "Indeed, and the motive works to for Hagakure. The amount of money Monokuma presented is more than enough to pay off his debts." _Celeste said._  
. "Wait, how do you know that?" _Hagakure accused._  
. "This is one of the best schools in the world." _Celeste said. _"If you think I would come here without knowing anything about my classmates, you're wrong."  
. "Hey, Toges, I'm telling you. I didn't do it."  
. "Hold up now, Togami." _Kirigiri interjected. _"If Hagakure really is the culprit for Oowada, then tell us what did you use to lock Oowada in?"  
. "What?"  
. "Oowada was locked in. Can you tell us what you used to lock him in?"  
. "How should I know? I was guarding Ishimaru's body with Yams."_  
_. "And there's your proof that Hagakure didn't do it. Oowada was locked in the sauna. There's a period of twenty to thirty minutes that Oowada needed to be in the sauna."_ Kirigiri said.  
_. "So what's your point?" _Celeste said.  
_. "My point is this. Did anybody see where they came from?"_ Kirigiri said. _"Did anyone see which way they came from?"  
. "They both arrived from the way the direction of the other dorm rooms."_ Fujisaki said.  
. "_Exactly."_ Kirigiri said.  
. "_But they could have taken the other route."_ Togami argued.  
. "_Why would they take a less-direct route?"_ Kirigiri argued. "_If one of them murdered Oowada in the sauna and heard that Ishimaru was dead, then they would have taken a much more direct route."  
. "One of them?" _Yamada said, interjecting. "_Why am I still a suspect?"  
. "If Hagakure isn't the one who murdered Oowada, you're our next most likely suspect."_ Maizono said.  
. "_Truly, Miss Sayaka Maizono, do you still hold a grudge for that 'kawaii princess' comment."_ Yamada asked.  
. "_ 'Kawaii Princess' comment?" _Celeste asked, rather perplexed. _"When was this?"_  
. _"It's not important." _Maizono said.  
. "_Yamada is side-tracking us on purpose."_ Fukawa said.  
. _**"That's strange."**_ Kirigiri thought. "_**With most of the evidence pointing to Hagakure, her paranoia should be leading her to claiming that Hagakure's guilty right now, not Yamada."  
. **"Anyway." _Naegi said, continuning_. "Can I present my theory on how the culprit was able to get to Ishimaru inside that closed room?"  
. "Go on, Naegi. Show 'em." _Maizono encouraged._  
. "Well, my theory is this. Ishimaru wasn't specifically targeted. Someone put a slow-acting substance in the sports drink that Ishimaru drank."  
. "That's an interesting theory." _Togami said_. "But what substance would that be?"_  
_. "That hypothetical substance involved would probably be laundry detergent._ Kirigiri said. "_When I checked the laundry room, I could not find any laundry detergent at all."_  
._ "Laundry detergent?" _Yamada said, shocked. "_Now our desires for clean clothes lead to our demises. How truly horrific."  
. "Keep saying that, you murderer."_ Fukawa said.  
_. "I'm telling you I didn't murder Ishimaru or Oowada."  
. "R-r-i-g-ht."  
. "Fukawa." _Togami said. "_Do you have anything more to contribute besides baseless accusations?"_  
. _"Yes, my white knight. I do. I think Hagakure murdered Ishimaru and Yamada offed Oowada. I think they were completely independent of each other. We could be making connections between the two where there were none."  
. "But wait, Fukawa. We agreed that Hagakure's motive would have been money." Kirigiri_ pointed out._  
. "Hey, I didn't murder either of them." _Hagakure said._  
. "Well as long as both of your alibis consists of being your rooms." _Celeste said. _"There's not much more we can do than follow the possiblity that you could be the murderer. Because you could. It hasn't been disproven yet."  
. "As I was saying." _Kirigiri started again. _"Nobody ever saw Ishimaru after the motive was presented."  
. "So what's the problem?" _Fukawa said._  
. "When I first examined Ishimaru, he showed signs of being dead for over twenty-four hours. Apparently there was less than twenty-four hours between the motive being introduced and the discovery of Ishimaru's body." Kirigiri said.  
. "And another thing." _Naegi said._ "Why would Hagakure risk his own life? He could have grabbed the bottle with laundry detergent himself, and then he would have died."  
. "See I told ya." Hagakure said.  
. "H-h-e-s probably stupid enough to do that by accident."  
. "While I don't disagree about Hagakure's intelligence." _Togami said,_ "We must assume Hagakure displayed some level of common sense."  
. "HEY!"  
. "Leon." _Fujisaki asked. _"Do you know whom grabbed the sports drinks?"  
. "It was Hagakure." _Leon said._  
. "No, I didn't." _Hagakure denied._  
. "Yes, you did it. I was there when... you opened the package." _Leon trailed off. _"Naegi as brilliant as your theory is, I think it's invalid. The box of sports drinks wasn't opened at all before Hagakure got to them. Otherwise, do you have a way for Hagakure or Yamada to introduce laundry detergent without opening the containers containing the drink?"  
. " No. No. I don't. So my theory has been disproven. Well that's disappointed. I thought I was onto something."  
. "Well, it was a decent stab at it." _Maizono said._  
. "So we're back to square one." _Fujisaki said. _"We don't know how Ishimaru was killed. We only know that he was killed in a closed room, and we have no way of figuring out who could have done it."  
. _Leon closed his eyes and started thinking of what had happened._  
. "Kirigiri, you said that Ishimaru had likely been dead for over twenty-four hours. Does the Monokuma file say what he died of?"  
. "Yes, it says he died of internal injuries."  
. "Well, there is one more thing for Ishimaru. When we were drinking our sports drinks, he got up on a table."  
. "Yeah, I remember now." _Hagakure interjected._ "He fell off the table."  
. "The hell." _Asahina said._ "Why was he on the table?"  
. "He was trying to change a lightbulb." _Leon replied._  
. "And you say he fell off the table." _Kirigiri said._  
. "Yeah."  
. "Well, that would explain the internal injuries and the closed room."  
. "Wait. What?" Fukawa said. "Are you saying that Ishimaru DIED OF NATURAL CAUSES! I thought we only had class trials when there was a murder."  
. "And it's been confirmed that Oowada was murdered." Kirigiri replied.  
. "Do you have any evidence to set this up?" Asahina asked. "Because I'm having quite a hard time buying this.  
. "I'm sure we can cobble enough of it together to confirm or deny it." _Naegi said._ "I'll start. It explains why the Monokuma announcement was cut off."  
. "What?"  
. "Does anybody else remember Monokuma's announcement? "'**Ding Dang Dong. We got a corpse here."  
. 'Wasn't there supposed to be a second half to that announcement? ' '" **_ _Monokuma only said the first sentence. Remember when Enoshima and Oogami had that double knockout? Monokuma not only played the full announcement. He even played it twice in succession."  
"It gets better, Naegi." _Kirigiri continued._ "I just remembered Fukawa's comment from early and that sparked something that Monokuma said when he released me, he said he was releasing me because there was A murder. Singular. At the time I thought it was because the rest of you had discovered Ishimaru and he had been murdered, but really it was because Oowada had just been murdered."  
, _Monokuma started turning pale. He never expected the students to use his own statements and even the announcements as proof in class trials._  
. "That's better?" _Naegi snarked.  
. _"So we agree that Ishimaru died of natural causes." _Maizono said. _"That's ... kinda unexpected. First, the double knock-out and now a death of unnatural causes..."  
. "I'm fuming!"_ Monokuma interrupted. "_I had been hoping for several straight-up murders or even murder attempts by this point, and instead we get that double knock-out of an action scene and a death of natural causes."_  
. "_Nevertheless,"_ Togami started. _"this exposes a logistical flaw of the game. I'm willing to bet the idea of death of natural causes never crossed anybody's mind, even Monokuma and the mastermind's."  
. "He also never anticipated the idea that we could add people."_ Yamada said.  
. _"Seriously. You pervert."_ Celeste said.  
. _"Anyway, that idea still takes nine months to execute. That's a rather slow and tedious way to break this game." _Fujisaki commented.  
. "_ENOUGH!" _Monokuma raised his paws in frustration. _"I understand the temptation. You guys are all teenagers ... and Hagakure, but we are NOT, under any circumstances, ADDING PEOPLE."_  
_. "Oh good, that means you're not going to kidnap people from the outside and force them to join this game to keep this continuing. Once this game ends, it ends."_ Naegi said._  
. "Aie-yai-ii"_ Leon said, shaking his head._ "Way to completely miss it, Naegi."_  
. "_Miss what?"  
. "Never mind, Naegi."_ Maizono said, expasarated.  
_. "So that just leaves trying to figure Oowada's murder."_ Asahina said.  
. "_Indeed, it does."_ Celeste said. "_And to just be recapped, he was killed inside the sauna."  
. "Yes, he was."_ Fujisaki said. _"The punches on the interior of the sauna door prove it."  
. "Hey, Fujisaki, have you mentioned your little physics thing yet?" _Leon asked.  
._ "Physics what now?"_ Fukawa said.  
. "_Save it for late_r." Togami said. "_I think I know who killed Oowada."  
. "If you're going to say Hagakure or Yamada, forget it." _Asahina said.  
. _"No. The murderer is none other than Genocider Syo."  
. "WHAT!"_ The other students all said in unison.  
. "_And what evidence do you have for that?"_ Leon said. _"Yer saying we've got a serial killer inside these walls."  
. "Yes."  
. "Well, do we know who it is?" _Maizono asked, fearfully.  
_. "All in good time, Maizono. All in good time."  
. "Wait, we're just going to skate past this?"_ Naegi said. _"We've got a serial killer in here."  
. "Yes."  
. "Hey guys."  
. "Yeah?"  
. "I think we're fucked."_  
_. "What's your proof, Togami? Is it the scissors?"_ Kirigiri asked.  
. _"Yes. How do you know?"_ Togami asked, shocked.  
. _"It's because Kyoko Kirigiri is actually Genocider Syo."_ Fukawa said, pointing.  
. _ "What about the scissors now?"_ Leon asked. _"The scissors are the proof?"_  
_. "Yes. The scissors are unique to Genocider Syo. Sure they made have been used in an unorthodox manner but the scissors are Genocider's."  
. "So now we know who did it." _Asahina said._ "So now we just need to figure out who Genocider Syo is."  
. "Is anybody else still uneasy about the fact that we have a SERIAL KILLER AMONG US?" _Naegi pointed out._  
. "Well, we're trapped in here with a robotic teddy bear that's trapped us in here with the express intent to 'despair'. "_Fujisaki said._ "Would throwing a serial killer in the mix really be that surprising?"  
. "So how are we supposed to keep a serial killer in check?" _Leon asked_.  
. "It looks like Syo is the culprit, so we don't need to worry about that." _Yamada said._  
. "Unless of course, Syo is not the culprit." _Celeste said._  
. "Oh no. Oh no. No. No. NO! IT HAS TO BE SYO!"_ Hagakure said._  
. "Wait, what are you implying, Celeste?"_ Maizono asked._  
. "I'm saying it's entirely possible that someone else knew about Syo and stole the scissors to use them as a red herring."  
. "Wait, what?" _Togami said._ "Where are you going with this?"  
. "I'm saying that there are only two people in here who knew about Syo before the scissors. Genocider Syo himself and you, Byakuya Togami. It's entirely possible that you two are one and the same."  
. "Wait, Celeste." _Fujisaki said_. "Togami did say that Genocider Syo was likely to be the alternate personality of someone here. He even showed us the case file."_  
. "_Anyway, getting back to the physics thing Leon mentioned earlier,_ _it'd be much easier to just show you. Everybody follow me."  
. "Wait, where do you think you're going?" _Monokuma angrily ranted.  
. "_I thought I discussed this before the trial began. We're still participating in the trial."_ Celeste said. _"But no rule ever says that participation has to take place inside the trial room itself."  
. "Argh._" Monokuma said.  
. Everybody piled into the elevator, and it went back up.  
._ "It feels weird going up with other people."_ Kirigiri commented.  
. _"Yeah. You missed that." _Leon said.  
. Fujisaki led everybody over to the sauna where Oowada's charred body was still there. Monokuma popped out.  
. _"Yeah, I don't remove the bodies until the trial is over."  
. "Okay. That makes sense." _Leon said.  
. Kirigiri put her finger to her chin. "_**Hmmm, Monokuma doesn't remove the body, yet he didn't plan for us to leave the trial room mid-trial."**_  
. With the exception of Togami and Fukawa, everybody piled into the sauna.  
_. "See." _Fujisaki pointed out._ "The punches exert zero force on the door."_  
_. "How is that possible?" _Yamada asked.  
_. "Because the Force is perpendicular to the door. Which means the angle is ninety degrees. To calculate Force in the x-direction it would be Force times the cosine of the degrees. Since the degree is ninety, cosine ninety is zero. That means the total force is zero." _Fujisaki explained_._  
_. "Okay. I'll just take your word for it."_  
. Everybody nodded in agreement, and they all headed back to the trial room, and resumed their position.  
. "_An odd thought just occurred to me."_ Kirigiri said. "_How did Yamada and Hagakure even find out that Ishimaru was dead? Was it the body discovery announcement?"_  
_. "No. 'Giri."_ Hagakure said._ "There was a knock on my door saying that Ishimaru was dead."_  
_. "Same here."_ Yamada said.  
._ "And who knocked on your door?"_ Maizono asked.  
_. "It was ... 'Kawa."_  
_. "Fukawa here as well."  
_._ "Now that I think about it"_ Celeste commented. _"Fukawa wasn't with us when we discovered the body."_  
_. "I-uh-wait."_  
_. "Well, that explains a lot."_ Togami said. "_Then tell us, Fukawa, who is Genocider Shou? Where did you get those scissors?"_  
_. "Listen... I am Genocider Syo. Syo is my alternate personality."_  
_. "Yeah right, you murdered Oowada to satisfy some twisted desire of yours, eh?"_  
_. "NO! I murdered him in self-defense. After he came bumbling in screaming about Ishimaru's death, I left because I didn't want to be around him. I had seen what he had done to Naegi when he got angry so I was trying to stay away from him. How was I supposed to know he would come into the sauna and start attacking me in blind rage? So I knocked him out using the Genoscissors, push him into the sauna, locked it up, and turned up the heat."  
. "Well, I think that's it." _Naegi said, sighing_.  
. "But why not go back to your room?" _Leon asked._  
. "Because my room was right on the way past Ishimaru and Oowada's. I figured Oowada would be one of those two rooms." _Fukawa replied.  
. _"Yahoo._" Monokuma shouted. _"I think you've all figured out whom the culprit is. Vote now."_  
. A second later...  
. "_You're all correct. And now a punishment for the SDHSL Bookworm, Toko Fukawa."_  
. A strange contraption rose up in the center of the trial stands.  
. **_"What's this?"_** Kirigiri thought. **_"I totally forgot to check the area in the center of the trial stands. That oversight."  
_**. All of a sudden, the contraption shot out metallic ropes and grabbed Fukawa's four limbs and dragged her into the seat. It plopped a helmet on her head and with an electric shock, she lay there, motionless.  
. _"Fukawa?"_ Naegi asked hesistantly.  
. _"I can totally mess with people's minds this way. I've chosen to make Toko Fukawa completely braindead. In another couple of minutes, she'll be dead physically as well. Say goodbye to Toko Fukawa."_ Monokuma said.  
. All of a sudden, the helmet came off, and Fukawa was ripping the metallic ropes off her limbs.  
. "_Ahh!"_ Monokuma shouted. "_What's going on?"_  
_. "Fukawa?"_ Togami asked.  
._ "You're right, Monokuma. Say goodbye to Toko Fukawa. But say hello to Genocider Syo! Hahahahahahahahahahaha!"_

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I was originally going to have Naegi say "So my theory's been Jossed. BUT: 'Jossed' did not exist as a page until 2013. Dangan Ronpa was released in 2010.


	18. Smell 'ya in 5: Cascading Q & A

Chapter 18: Smell 'Ya in Five

Please leave a review. The longer the better. Recommend this to other fans. Anything to help understand how people are reacting.

. _"Genocider Syo?"_ Togami said, astoundingly. "_So that split personality wasn't just hypothetical. It actually happened."_  
. _"Of course, Byakuya, love. Mrs. Morose was never able to stand the sight of blood. But I certainly can."_  
. "_Well, this opens up a whole new set of problems."_ Naegi said.  
_. "I did anticipate that Genocider Syo and the culprit of trial two would be two different people." _Celeste said. _"But I never expected them to be alternate personalities of the same individual."  
. "Anyway you look at it, isn't Genocider just 'Kawa, dude?"_ Hagakure said.  
_. "Not even close!" _Genocider said. "_I have many different experiences from Mrs. Toko Fukawa. We never shared memories, only skill sets, so I consider myself a separate person from her."  
. "Truly, it's like Bruce Banner was killed by permanently being turned into the Hulk."_ Yamada said.  
. "_Say what?" _Naegi said.  
_. "I don't get that reference."_ Leon said.  
. "_What, I paid attention to western comic books as well."_ Yamada replied.  
. _"Yamada, none of us know what you're talking about." _Naegi said.  
. "_Genocider, why did you murder all those men?"_ Kirigiri asked.  
._ "Oh, little Ms. Detective wants to know, eh? Well, I'll tell you. I found them attractive, and they broke my heart. Every last one of them."  
. "What?_" Everybody gasped.  
. _"Anyway..."_ Togami said. "_Genocider Syo, you're not the mastermind."_  
_. "No, I'm not, White Knight."  
. "Okay. So that gets rid of Togami's theory that Genocider Syo and the mastermind are one and the same." _Celeste commented.  
_. "Stop it!"_ Togami stammered. _"Son of bitch, STOP LICKING ME!"_  
._ "Oh, master."_ Genocider said, a little too enthusiastically.  
. _"Well, this isn't uncomfortable."_ Naegi sarcastically said. _"Hey, wait. There's a serial killer active here."  
. "Yyyyyeeeeaaaahhhh. Let's just roll with it." _Hagakure said.  
_. "Just roll with it. Just roll with it? How are we going to make sure we don't get trial number three because of Genocider?"  
. "Well, if Genocider is the culprit for trial number three, it'll be painfully obvious. Another trial, and another floor."  
. "Hey dumbass." _Naegi interjected. _"Who does Genocider kill?"  
. "It makes my heart pound that trial number two has just wrapped up, and already you're talking about murder again."_ Monokuma cooed.  
. _"I would have thought that'd be obvious."_ Asahina said. _"It'd be Togami."  
. "Running bet for how long it takes Togami to get murdered by Genocider!"_ Hagakure said.  
. _"Hagakure, I'll friggin' kill you!"_ Togami said, shaking his fist, and stiff-arming Genocider Syo at the same time.  
. _"That takes balls of steel, dude."_ Leon said.  
. _"What?"_ Togami replied.  
_. "You're stiff-arming one of the most notorious serial killers since Jack the Ripper. That takes balls." _Leon replied.  
. _"So I am. Well, as heir of the Togami conglomerate, it is expected that I do extraordinary feats with ease."_  
. _"Yeah, well, don't get cocky."_ Hagakure said, as people started to gather onto the elevator.  
. Since trial number two had wrapped up at much earlier point in the day, the group immediately decided to explore the third floor.  
. _"So this is how we finish Day 5?"_ Hagakure said. _"With a whole new floor."_  
_**. "Five days, two trials. Four bodies. Five dead."**_ Naegi thought to himself. "_**And how long until Trial number three?"**_  
._ "Naegi, what's wrong?"_ Maizono asked.  
_. "Nothing, I've just got future events on my mind."  
. "Trial Number Three?"  
. "Yeah."_  
_. "What are you trying to do? Predict who's the most likely to die, and whose the most likely murderer?"  
. "Something like that."  
. "Don't worry about it. We'll cross that bridge if we get there."  
. "Oh, Naegi cheer up."_  
. The third floor was slightly differently from the first two. Whereas the first two followed the same general layout, the third's geometry was different. The walls were illuminated with purple lights, and the checkboard floor had a purplish hue applied to it.  
. _"This appears to be a recreation room." _Togami said, opening the wooden door with a circle cut in fourths of glass, and everybody gathered inside.  
. The room was plaid black and blue on the walls with black and white checkboard tiles. There was a pool table, and a dart board, and a pair of chairs, and a magazine rack.  
. _"Hey Asahina. Hey Asahina." _Leon nudged her.  
_. "What?"  
. "You're the swimmer. You should be excited about this room."  
. "Why?"  
. _Leon pointed towards the table._ "Pool."  
. "Ugh. That pun was bad._"  
._ "Hmmm, what's wrong, Fujisaki?" _Kirigiri asked.  
_. "I just thought that all the floors of Hope's Peak would be the same shape. It makes me wonder."  
. "Wonder what?"  
. "Wonder about the relation of each room in between floors, I wonder if there's some way to figure it out."_  
_. "We'll see."  
. "I took a quick look around the corner of the staircase's right before coming in. There's only two classrooms on this floor."_ Celeste said.  
._ "I wonder why?"_ Yamada said. _"I mean there has to be more than two per floor, even with all of the facilities that also could hold class, but still."_  
. "_Makes me wonder about the logistics of each Hope's Peak class." _Togami said.  
. _"What do you mean?" _Kirigiri asked.  
. _"I mean, do they take fifteen or sixteen students at a time from all different times of high school, or do they have cascading classes?"_  
_. "Cascading classes?"_ Celeste replied. "_What do you mean?"_  
_. "I mean, are there usually two groups of students in at a time? Were we supposed to rotate our bedrooms with other students?"  
. "Huh. That's a good question."_ Fujisaki said._ "Hope's Peak looks like it's only been built for only a class of say twenty-four students at a time."  
. "Or is there more that Monokuma locking off from us?"_ Yamada asked.  
_. "Perhaps we'll find other dorms on the fourth floor or above._" Maizono said.  
. _"Assuming there's a fourth floor." _Celeste pointed out. "_We still don't know if this is the last floor or not, having only just arrived."  
. "Either way, Hope's Peak has some logistical problems that don't quite work out." _Fujisaki said._ "Nobody in charge was ever a computer programmer. The designs are pretty inefficient."  
. "Maybe the curriculum is tailored to each individual student?" _Maizono suggested. _"Like for instance, Fujisaki is going to be stronger in STEM areas so they would have focused on the humanities a bit more."  
. "Well, obviously, whatever they've been doing has worked. It is said that if you graduate from Hope's Peak, you'd be guaranteed success in life." _Asahina said._  
. _Naegi's eyes widened. Guaranteed success in life. It all made more sense._  
. "That's it!"  
. "What is?" _Celeste asked._  
. "I understand why Hope's Peak Academy students are guaranteed success in life."  
. "Why's that?"  
. "Think about. We're all supposed to be 'pillars of the future', or something like that. And we're all going to know each other by the time we leave here. By spending day after day with each other, we're forming connections, creating one of those elite closed-circles that average individuals are jealous of. An heir, a famous pop idol, a pro baseball player, and an Olympic swimmer go to school together, and that's just four of us. From the outside looking in, who's to say that they don't become friends, and do each other favors after they all graduate? Hope's Peak graduates love to hire other Hope's Peak graduates because they know the standards of Hope's Peak, having gone through it themselves."  
. "Oh. Oh. Oh." _Maizono said._  
. "But what happens if you get kicked out of Hope's Peak?" _Celeste said._  
. "I don't know." _Naegi said_. "I really don't know. I don't think it's possible anybody here knows."  
. "Nobody HERE knows." _Togami said, picking up on Naegi's choice of words._  
. "What do you do with your life if you get kicked out of a normal operating Hope's Peak?" _Yamada asked._  
. "I don't think any of us want to find out." _Leon said, kicking back on the leather couch.  
. "_Oh, Hope's Peak Academy wouldn't have accepted you, if they didn't think you could make it."_ Togami said.  
. _"That may be true, but..."_ Celeste started.  
. _"But nothing."_ Togami cut her off. _"And, anyway, how one gets themselves kicked out of Hope's Peak isn't important anymore."_  
. _"True, we have the opposite problem now." _Hagakure said. _"All of us want to leave."_  
. "_Perhaps, so. " Leon said. " I think this is where we split up."  
. "On the contrary, perhaps we should explore as a group." _Maizono said, as everybody left the recreation room._  
. "Why?" _Hagakure asked._  
. "Oh you know, it might be a nice change of pace."  
. "Count me out." _Togami said.  
. "_And I'll follow him!"_ Genocider said.  
. "_Yes, but if you annoy me, we're coming right back to this room, and I'm shoving you into that locker."_ Togami replied.  
. _"Yes, master!"  
. "I thought shoving people in lockers was something jocks did to nerds in middle school._" Yamada said.  
. _"Really?_" Leon asked. "_Were you ever shoved into a locker?"_  
. "_No!"_ Yamada proudly said.  
. "_Was it because you're fat?"_ Togami said.  
. Yamada glared at Togami.  
. _"Ooew. Togami doesn't mince words." _Maizono said.  
. _"We've been trapped with him for five days. You're just now figuring that out?"_ Naegi snarked.

Togami left the recreation room and turned to his left. There wasn't much to explore except a pair of classrooms. 3-B was closer while 3-A lay in the corner. Nothing in either classroom. He did find a chemistry textbook in one of the desks, but more importantly a secondary purpose to the numbering scheme was starting to dawn on Togami.

_"3-A. 3-B. If I got it right, Hope's Peak Academy had a limit of accepting forty or so students per school year." _Togami thought to himself. That would be about twenty students per class. Togami was starting to get an idea.

_. "If I recall correctly, when the Hope's Peak Representative met me to see if I was interesting in attending, he mentioned that five years at Hope's Peak would be the most important five years of my life."_  
. Togami's eyes widened. _"Five years! That's how many floors, there are. Five! First year students start in either 1-A or 1-B. The next year they move up to 2-A and 2-B, and so forth. So there's that answer to the class logistics that us survivors have been pondering. I wonder which track the other fourteen would have been sorted into. And all this time, I thought the numbering scheme was due to what floor the classrooms were on."  
. "What is it, master?" _Genocider asked._  
. "Nothing."  
. "So my idea that one of the classrooms on the second floor was a language classroom was wrong. It's all purpose." _Togami thought._  
. _Meanwhile, the art room was being thoroughly explored by the rest of the students. It looked visually cluttered between the easels, statues, and a mock Venus de Milo.  
. _"Well, well, well... what a fine establishment this is. My artsy tense is tingling."_  
. "_I thought you were the otaku type, Yamada."_ Maizono said.  
. "_Well, not only is there a bounty of painting supplies, there's quite the selection of sculpting tools."  
. "Sculpting tools? I hope you don't mean next round's murder weapon._" Naegi snarked.  
. "_Sculptures are different. Generally, speaking I partake not of the 3-D world. But, ah, figures are different. They're practically 2D."  
. "Define practically."_  
. _"Hey, Yamada. That's rich coming from you. The guy who is the most 3-D out of all us." _Celeste said.  
. _"Not you too, Celeste Ludenberg."  
. "Wait a minute, guys, why is there a Monokuma statue?" _Leon asked.  
._ "Well, Monokuma sure has an ego."_ Asahina said.  
. The other three members of the group were in the art storage room. It was rather plain and brown. There was a wheelie cart. Kirigiri was staring around the room intently, but didn't seem to be making a bunch of progress finding whatever she was looking for.  
_. "10 sculpting hammers." _Fujisaki said. _"I have no idea how to make a sculpture."  
. "It's easy, you get a hammer and chisel."_ Hagakure said.  
._ "I don't think it's that simple. I'm sure there's some sort of technique."  
. "Whatever. We got all the time in the world. I'm sure we can learn from trial and error."  
. "Yeah..."_  
. They moved onto the Physics Lab.  
. "_What's this montrosity?_" Naegi asked.  
. _"Careful, you wanna leap through time!"_ Monokuma said, suddenly popping out.  
. _"What?_"  
. Almost everybody gasped. _"So does that mean, we can go back and stop the other deaths from happening!" _Asahina asked.  
. "_Bullshit._" Maizono said.  
_. "What?" _Monokuma said. _"I don't think I've ever heard you curse like that before, Maizono."  
. "Yeah, right, you're not going to leave something that resolves all loose ends so effortlessly laying about."  
. "Besides."_ Naegi added. _"You're forgetting all the rules about time travel. If you go back and change something that prevents you from going back in the first place, all hell breaks loose. Not to mention even if it was possible, we would be locked on the third floor. There are those metallic things that blocked off the third floor before last trial, and even the second floor was blocked off before that."_  
. "_Aww, way to take all the winds out of my sails. I had this one minute gag prepared and everything."_  
. _"What?"_ Kirigiri said.  
. _"I was going to say that it only worked on going back in time for one minute, and how it was perfect for when you leave your instant ramen in for a minute too long. But you ruined it._  
. "_You know the easier thing to do is not to leave the ramen in for too long in the first place. Besides, what's stopping you from meeting yourself. And that's where it gets complicated."_  
. _"Well this is new."_ Celeste said. "_I don't think anybody expected one of Monokuma's routines to be deconstructed like this."_  
. _"Enough! It's actually an air purifier. 'Tis a fine piece of tech that can produce oxygen in any number of conditions. You could even live on Mars with it. Well, there's still the problem of temperature and gravity, so you actually probably couldn't."_  
. "_DUDES! Are we in space right now!?"_ Hagakure said.  
. "_That's some artifical gravity we got there." _Fujisaki snarked.  
_. "NO! We're not in space. But you guys have this gizmo to thank for clean air."  
. "Are you implying that the air outside is polluted?"_ Togami said, suddenly appearing.  
. "_May-bear. I mean, maybe."  
. "The air outside is polluted." _Naegi said._ "That's not very likely, considering when I came in on my first day, it was still clear out. Did some smog blow in the wrong direction due to the wind?"  
. "I won't say."  
. "Of course, you won't."  
. "Is the air outside permanantly polluted?" _Maizono asked._  
. "Murder someone and find out for yourself."  
. _The topic of conversation suddenly shifted_._  
. "_Hey, it's a camera I used to own."_ Yamada said, suddenly shouting.  
. "_Take it. Nobody else wants it."_ Asahina said.  
. "_Hey, wait a minute. Where's Genocider?"_ Leon asked.  
_. "She's off exploring the first and the second floor. And she said that she needed to take a shower, since Fukawa never did." _Togami replied.  
. "_Seriously?"_ Celeste asked.  
. "_Stress does shut off the ability to smell."_ Fujisaki said.  
. "_Well, she does claim not to share memories with Fukawa._" Togami said. _"So it's natural that she would go explore the other floors."  
. "Hey guys, do you think Fukawa and Genocider smell different?"_ Hagakure said.  
. _"It's no use. Hagakure doesn't live in an ordinary world. He lives somewhere weird."_ Asahina said._  
. "Duran Duran." _Leon said.  
. "_What?"  
. "Duran Duran released a track in 1993 called ' Ordinary World' from an album nicknamed the 'Wedding Album.'"_  
. _"And this is relevant, how?" _Togami said.  
_. "The conversation that Genocider and Fukawa could smell different because they're technically seperate characters?"_ Fujisaki commented. _"It sounds like some weird science."_  
. "_Oingo Boingo."  
. "Ugh. Enough." _Togami said, getting more and more peeved.  
. "_Hey note this, how many people get to say they had a serial killer as friendly comic relief?" _Monokuma said, waving his paws.  
._ "Not many."_ Leon admitted.  
. "_Yeah, she's could be a problem."_ Naegi said. "_Should we deal with her or something?"  
. "She's loyal to Togami, for some reason." _Asahina said. "_I don't think there's going to be a problem."  
. "You say that, but again Genocider still raises up some questions._  
. The physics preparation room was the same shade of gray as the art storage room. There were tarps, and boxes piled high.  
. "_It smells like chemicals."_ Asahina said. "_Is there a possibility of a chemistry lab somewhere nearby?"  
. "Togami. What were the other classrooms like?" _Naegi asked._  
. "Well, there's still only two on this floor." _Togami said, smirking._  
. "Is that so?"  
. "Yes, you can check them out yourself, there's nothing special about either of them."  
. "Find anything even remotely notable in either classroom."  
. "I found a chemistry textbook with instructions for a lab."  
. "A chemistry textbook with instructions for chemistry labs. But the only science lab on this floor is the Physics Lab."  
. "One other thing, I noticed there was a staircase leading to what I presume a fourth floor."  
. "Togami... you've got something figured out here. What is it?"  
. "Stop and think about it. Give it some thought and get back to me."  
. Kirigiri's brain whirled as she overheard the conversation._  
. Meanwhile, Fujisaki was going to around to everybody's ears and whispering. "Meet me in the bathhouse in five minutes."

AUTHOR'S NOTE: The whole A, B classroom thing and different tracks mostly came from binge-watching the first twenty-two episodes of Assassination Classroom late July 2015 (where it's important that the students are in 3-E.) where the school is presently as mostly normal-functioning (aside from Koro-Sensei and the unfair shit E students deal with.)


	19. Homonyms, Gadflies, & Alter Egos

Chapter 19: Homonyms, Gadflies, &amp; Alter Egos

. After getting out of her shower, Genocider Syo was having just the grandest time. She was finally able to call her own shots and not smell like blood all the damn time. (Mrs. Morose hating showering because how much blood she smelled like was her personal way of figuring out how active Genocider had been.) She figured that had been the reason why Mrs. Morose had been so anti-social. Everybody wanted to stay away from her because she smelled bad.  
. "_Well, I don't smell bad any more. So Byakuya will now surely adore me! A-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!"  
. _Laughing manically without an audience was a lot more underwhelming than she figured.  
. As she got dressed again in the bathroom, she reassessed her situation. She hadn't been active in quite a while. But she was up to speed on a few things, number one they were trapped in here. That didn't bother her. Number two: Byakuya was trapped in here.  
. She remembered the time Mrs. Morose had been doing research on Byakuya when Genocider had activated. She read all the info that had been complied by her other self. The Togami conglomorate head either remained unmarried, or practiced polygomy, or remarried a hella lot of times, as evidenced by all the half-siblings fighting each other for the right to be named heir.  
. She also remembered the first time she had seen a picture of Byakuya. Unlike her previous victims, his eyes were different. Win him over, and he would forever remain hers. His eyes gleamed with a thrist for intellectual stimulation. For him, the money was a means to the end for mental exercise. Perhaps that was why he had been chosen as heir.  
. Genocider knew she had three floors to explore. Number three: She had to read Mrs. Morose's notes on the previous few days. Surely there were some information on her classmates that she could gleam, but she would have had to leave them in a place where there was no surviellance, as to where, she had no idea, that would be her own personal quest.  
. With her tongue, she shot a glance at the security camera.  
. **"**_**Okay. So that gets rid of Togami's theory that Genocider Syo and the mastermind are one and the same."**_  
. She was not the mastermind. This wasn't her style. And even so, why would she have put Togami in here?  
. She clutched her Geno-scissors. _"These babies are probably my greatest asset."_  
. She grabbed her room key with 'Fukawa' scribbled on it. She'd have to get a pen and scribble Genocider on it.  
. Directly across from her room was Junko Enoshima's room. On her right was Cherry's room. On her left, Maizono's.  
. Upon exploring the dorm area, she ran into Monokuma.  
_. "Hey there, Genocider, how are you holding up?"  
. "Not bad. Not bad. I must say, this area is somewhat nice."  
. "So are you going slice someone up?"  
. "No."  
. "Going murder Naegi for calling you a threat?"  
. "No. I only murder men I find attractive."  
. "So why aren't you murdering Togami? You find him attractive."  
. "Because... I have my reasons."  
. "You've murdered, who knows how many people. Why stop now?"  
. "You say that like I should continue."  
. "You know, if you murder someone and get away with it, you can leave."  
. "And then what?"  
. "I'm sorry?"  
. "I'm a proven homicidal maniac, even if I get outside. What happens to me? Nothing pleasant, that's for sure.  
. "You sure are different from the other students."  
. "Of course. Ordinarily, people are born, people live, people die."  
. "And you?"  
. "I was never born."  
. "Then according to your own logic, how can you live? You're a homicidal maniac, killing is all you do. Ending other people's lives so you can continue your own."  
. "Is that so?"  
. "Yes."_  
. Genocider's eyes narrowed.  
._ "Hey, listen, I don't think you get it."  
. "Do I ? Of course, I get it. That's all there is to you. What more can there be?"_  
. _**You know, back before Mrs. Morose went brain-dead, we fought each other for control all the time. It was stressful in of itself. We were two halves. But now, there is only me.**_  
_. "What is it, Genocider?"  
. "None of your business."  
. "Of course it is, I'm the headmaster. I have to know the business of all of my students."  
. "I wonder how long you'll last."  
. "I'm sorry?"  
. "They're gunning for you. You know that?"  
. "You think I don't know that. Say Genocider, how would like to be my spy?"_  
. Meanwhile, in the bathhouse,  
._ "The hell, Fujisaki."_ Leon said. _"I'd say this stretches the limits of plausibility. You built an artificial intelligence."  
. "Fujisaki, she's beautiful."_ Yamada said. "_Her face, her keyboard, her everything."_  
. "_Oh, see now you've done it." _Asahina sighed.  
. _"Might I ask how you did it?"_ Naegi said.  
. "_Well, the first thing was getting the information storage set up. Then making sure Alter Ego could bring together the correct information per context."_  
._ "Yes, Master. Yes, Master."_ Alter Ego said.  
_. "I-uh-I-uh was inspired by the Doctor's K-9." _Fujisaki sheepishly admitted.  
_. "Well, Fujisaki this is quite the accomplishment." _Hagakure said. _"I may not be tech-savvy, but I know this is something special."  
. "Thank you."  
. "So what does it know?"_ Naegi asked.  
. _"It's still just learning." _Fujisaki said. "_Obviously, it knows all about computer programming."  
. "So can we add to it?" _Asahina asked.  
. "_Of course. But not all at once. Monokuma would get suspicious."  
. "I see."_ Kirigiri replied. "_Perhaps, the first data you should enter Fujisaki is everything we know about Hope's Peak. Perhaps Alter Ego can see something we can't."  
. "Forgive me, but I don't follow._" Asahina said.  
. "_In every branch of logic, you have what are called axioms. These are fundamental truths that can not be altered if the logic is to work."_ Togami said. _"I think it's safe to say that Monokuma has made us each have our own set of axioms without realizing it."  
. "You mean like assumptions?" _Celeste asked._  
. "Of course."  
. "I need to tell it all about my anime and manga. It is vital to the world over that Alter Ego knows about it." _Yamada said_.  
. "Your anime and manga are extra. They're useful for providing great lines. But in terms of practicality, there's not much." _Naegi said._  
. "Reminds me what John Lennon was once told by his aunt. '**The guitar's all very well as a hobby, John, but you'll never make a living out of it."**_ Leon said.  
. "_Lennon?_" Togami asked. "_Wait, any relation to the guy that preceded Stalin?_"  
. "_I don't know what 'Lennon' you're talking about, but John Lennon of the Beatles? Perhaps the greatest rock band of all time."_ Leon said.  
. "_Oh, I was thinking of Vladmir Lenin, the first man to lead the communist Soviet Union."  
. "Yeah, we're most definitely not talking about the same dude."_  
. Fujisaki chuckled.  
. "_What is it?"_ Naegi asked.  
. "_You may not realize it, but Alter Ego is learning right now._" Fujisaki smiled.  
_. "Vladmir Lenin, first leader of the nation known as the Soviet Union. Which had a political ideology of communism. John Lennon, member of the Beatles, a rock band. His aunt once told him that the guitar was only a hobby, but he went and made a living out of it._"  
. "_Oh, that is so cool. It even has voice recognition."_ Asahina said.  
. "_Yeah, I was able to compile that program just last evening."_ Fujisaki grinned.  
._ "I think another question is: how did you get the laptop working?"_ Kirigiri asked. "_When it was first seen on the second floor, it wasn't turning on. I know, I tried it myself, even plugging it in to the charger."  
. "Well, the problem was, a lot of dust clogged up the system, especially in the cooling vent. It wasn't turning on because it would have overheated and exploded if it had. I took it apart, cleaning it up, and put it back together."  
. "Ah, that makes sense."_  
._ "Even so, despite this program's capabilities, it's not a true artificial intelligence."_ Celeste said.  
. "_What do you mean by that? Of course it is."_ Naegi said.  
. "_No, I mean it's still limited only by how much knowledge it has. A key part of intelligence is reasoning. Tell me, Fujisaki, have you programmed anything comparable to inductive reasoning?"_  
. "_See, that part was tripping me up. I only had so much resources available. The computer isn't exactly the latest brand."  
. "I think the next question is this."_ Togami said. "_Where did you get the source code for that program? I can't imagine they came installed as default programs on the laptop."  
. "Well, they sorta were. I mean the individual programs were. I had to compile them together. Including the voice recognition software. And there was something weird..."  
. "What was weird, Fujisaki?"_Maizono asked._  
. "Well, in order to enable a decent voice recognition ability right now, you need a loud sample of sounds, preferably of common words, and preferably of those who often speak to it."  
. "And..."  
, "The computer already held audio recordings of all of us. I couldn't crack the files but I could program Alter Ego to go to them."  
. "All fifteen of us?" _Togami asked._  
. "Yeah, I think so. The files were all listed according to name. Except there weren't fifteen voice files. There were sixteen."  
. _As Genocider explored the first floor, Monokuma's offer nagged at her. The steel-iron barred door at the front of the school was nothing new. But she spotted a box.  
. '_**Dead Students' ID."**_  
. In it were the ID-s of the following students: Sakura Oogami, Junko Enoshima, Kiyotaka Ishimaru, and Mondo Oowada. If it hadn't been for Genocider needing hers, Mrs. Morose's would have joined theirs. Now she knew how many students were participating, fifteen. She wondered who killed who.  
. The classrooms were boring for the most part. She found the school store and its retro gaming completely and totally uninteresting. The atrium to the gymnasium with its awards was slightly more interesting, such as a glided golden sword awarded for an accomplishment of a Peko Pekoyama for example.  
. Genocider felt the sudden urge to touch it. The golden leaf covering stained her finger.  
. _"Interesting. Clearly a display item and not for practical use. But considering, everybody here (except myself) has a title of SDHSL -, maybe this Peko Pekoyama would have gotten in as SDHSL swordswoman. Either way, nice alliteration of the name. Easy to remember."_ Genocider thought approvingly.  
. The gymnasium was littered with basketballs.  
. She thought back to Mrs. Morose's research. One of the girls, Aoi Asahina was almost as big of a basketball nut as she was for swimming. She recalled Mrs. Morose's written research on that girl as well.  
. _**"Likely to be cheerful as hell. Mentioned her favorite food as doughnuts. Without her insane energy and competitiveness, she likely would only get as far as her pretty face would take her."**_  
. Oh the research, Mrs. Morose put into learning about her classmates before meeting of them. Perhaps that was meant to help with her old self's naturally high anxiety.  
. "_Naturally high anxiety? I wonder what would happen if I took Prozac?_" Something to try if she ever got out of here she supposed.  
. Genocider sat down on the bleachers, and closed her eyes. As much as she hated to admit it, she actually missed Mrs. Morose. Sure she was a bit on the paranoid and high anxiety side, but they had still been together for years.  
. The serial killer distracted herself by thinking of Mrs. Morose's other notes, the ones she had read so many times they had been burned into her brain.  
. "_**Sayaka Maizono: the Idol Singer. Capable of withstanding the enormous pressure of the lifestyle. Notable for her sheer force of personality, and the fact that she never abandoned the other members of her idol group even though she could have gone solo at any time. When asked why, she replied. **"Because I don't turn my back on my friends."_  
. "_**Leon Kuwata:**_ _** at 5'9, the sheer talent of this rising baseball star makes him an attractive prospect as a pitcher. He's billed as good enough to potentially create an argument over the necessity of the Designated Hitter position."**_  
. "_What the hell is a 'Designated Hitter' anyway?_"  
. "_**Celeste Ludenberg: The Queen of Liars. This girl could take on anyone and anything at any gambling game. With her dark fashion sense and wicked dark sense of humor, she inspires loyalty among her 'servants'."**_  
. "_**Mondo Oowada: The Biker. Manages the largest bike gang in the country. Keeps them in check with a surprising amount of reason despite being a ball of rage. Has a need for speed. Also, knows a surprisingly large amount about lawn care."**_  
. _"Lawn Care? Like we're going to be mowing in here."_ Genocider thought.  
. "_**Kiyotaka Ishimaru: The Hall Monitor. The grandson of a former Prime Minister, this hard worker is out prove with a vengeance that satisfaction comes from hard work."  
. "Sakura Oogami: The Fighter. She's as strong as her male counterparts. Heir to a dojo that's been around for three centuries. Stay out of her way.  
. "Junko Enoshima: The Model. Perhaps the most charming teenager ever known. With a killer smile, she sets high standards for everyone around her.  
**_. "_**Yaushiro Hagakure: the Shaman. Supposedly can predict future, but his greatest skill is reading other people. This laid back dude never lets anything faze him. Or so he claims."  
. "Hifumi Yamada: The Otaku. With a passion for the industry, his works are entirely hit-or-miss. This Otaku breathes the lifestyle.  
. "Chiriro Fujisaki: Cute as a button, this shy programmer is a self-proclaimed xkcd fan and rumored as being able to be good enough to threaten the Turing Test.**_  
. "_That still left a couple of unknowns for Mrs. Morose."_ Genocider muttered to herself. "_Kyoko Kirigiri and Makoto Naegi."_  
. Genocider got up, and moved onto the second floor. There was a library, and more classrooms, and changing rooms and a pool. She went over to the pool. On the far side was a locker away from most of the cameras.  
. "_Perhaps this is where she kept the notes."_  
. Genocider opened the locker. It was empty.  
. _"Well, that was underwhelming. Say why is no one ever 'whelmed'? It's always overwhelming or underwhelming?. Huh. I guess it's just Mrs. Morose's wordsmithing coming to me. A-Ha-Ha-Ha-ha-ha-h-... Nope, still not doing anything for me."_  
. Genocider left the pool and moved onto the third floor. It was just as uninteresting the other two. After she finishing exploring it, she went back down to the first floor and in the cafeteria where almost everyone was sitting.  
. "_A-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!"_  
. "_Enjoying yourself there, Genocider?"_ Celeste asked.  
. _"I was right. It IS more fun laughing manically with an audience."  
. "Of course it is."_ Leon said. "_It's like going mad with power. You ever try going mad without power? It's boring."  
. "How do you know that?"_ Naegi asked.  
. "_Let's just say I've dated more than my fair share of crazy."_ Leon admitted.  
. "_That just raises another question. Why? Why would you date crazy?"  
. "I-I-I don't know."  
. "Of course, you don't."_  
. "_So what were they? Yandere? Tsundere? Dandere?"_ Yamada asked.  
. _"Bro. I got no idea what those terms mean."  
. "Well, you see a yandere is what happens when a girl is willing doing anything to maintain romantic possession of her love interest. A Tsundere is where a girl switches between being very ice-cold and very nice and warm for one person. A dandere is -"  
. "Yamada, I don't care."_  
._ "Well, in any case, Genocider is Byakuya Togami's yandere."  
. "Wait, those are all girls." _ Maizono said. "_What about the guys? What's the terms for them?"  
. "Mostly 'stalkers' and 'assholes.'"_ Naegi said.  
. "_Well, that's a bit of double standard."  
. "You don't say?"  
. "Hey dumbasses." _Genocider Syo said. _"What now?"  
. "What now?" _Celeste replied._ "We wait for Monokuma's next move."  
. "Move? Like how so?"  
. "Before the first trial, Monokuma incited Sakura Oogami to murder someone for the sake of her dojo. Before the second trial,Monokuma offered a large sum of money to induce murder."  
. "And you're waiting for a third motive to go for themes."  
. "You could say that."  
. "I rather there not be a third motive at all." _Leon said._  
. "Yes, well, I believe there will be."  
. "So are we speculating or not?" _Naegi asked._  
. "It's acutally safer not to. At least not out loud. Don't want to give Monokuma ideas."  
. "Ah, no fun." _Monokuma popped up._  
. "ACK."  
. "You're taking all the fun about this. I was originally planning to present straight motives which would lead to murder."  
. "But it's been all twisted around. Because of the double-KO, a death from natural causes, and a culprit still walking because of an alternate personality and whom murdered for a different reason than your motive." _Naegi said.  
. _"Yeah. Well, at least it's more entertaining this way."  
. "You're just saying that because we've been smarter than you expected." _Celeste said.  
. "_Maybe so."  
. "No, it's true."_ Naegi said. _"You were expecting us to get completely played by you."  
. "Ow- that hurts. Well, I'm off, and you should know I've already got a third motive in the pipeline."  
. "That doesn't sound good." _Hagakure said.  
. _"Hey, wait, where's my White Knight?"_ Genocider suddenly realized.  
. "_He's in the changing room with a bunch of books."_ Fujisaki said.  
. _"Seriously?" _Kirigiri said.  
. _"Ah, well, I'm off."_ Genocider ran off.  
. _"She seems pleasant. "_ Naegi deadpanned.  
. _"She's a serial killer."_ Maizono said.  
._ "I'm a sarcasm-er."  
. "That's not even a word."_  
._ "You know what we need?"_ Fujisaki suddenly chimed in.  
. "_What?"_ Yamada asked.  
. _"A gadfly."  
. "What's a gadfly?"  
. "A person says stuff just to get a reaction with the intent of entertainment."  
. "So how's that different from a troll?"_ Naegi asked.  
. _" A gadfly is doing it without malice."  
. "Ah. So you're saying we need someone who says random stuff to Monokuma?"  
. "Yes."_ And as Fujisaki's eyes went to Kirigiri, so did everyone else.  
. "_What?"  
_  
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I originally wrote the beginning and then I realized I had written an excellent cliffhanger. So I went back to the middle and expanded it (for those curious, I first expanded between the K-9 and the 'true artificial intelligence' lines). This chapter provided me a way to expand on Alter Ego's origins a bit, something that isn't really done in canon due to the timing of his introduction.

Please leave a review, the longer the better.


	20. Secret Subversions

Chapter 20:

_"Why am I the gadfly?"_ Kirigiri asked.  
_"I get what Fujisaki is saying, it's because it would be completely out of character and don't worry, I'll give you some pointers."_ Naegi said.  
_"I think it would be hilarious." _Leon added.  
Celeste sighed. _"This is what you're going to think up now."_  
Hagakure scratched his head.  
_"Here, I'll start." _Naegi said. _"Oi, Monokuma!"_  
_"Yes!"  
"Will the third motive be ... cake?"  
"What? Cake? Why would I have cake be the third motive? Don't you know doughnuts are so much better?"  
. "High-five!"_ Asahina said, raising her hand.  
_. "So, the cake's a lie_?" Fujisaki said. _"Why am I not surprised? You are the most evil robot this side of GLaDos."_  
. _"There IS NO CAKE! THERE NEVER WAS!"  
. "What about the cookies?"  
. "What cookies?"  
. "Oh, come on. 'Come to the Despair Side. We have cookies!' The marketing line practically writes itself."_  
. _"Naegi, are those both internet memes?"_ Kirigiri asked.  
_. "Why, yes, yes, they are."  
. "So, you and Fujisaki want me to mess with Monokuma by the power of internet memes?"  
. "Essentially."  
. "Has Maizono been keeping you up all night?"  
. "This whole time you've been trying to mess with me?" _Monokuma sounded indiginant._  
. "And it's working."  
. "No, it isn't."  
. "Yes, it is."  
. "Just stop, Naegi."_  
_. "You want it to stop? Let us out, no strings attached... except for the trauma you/ve already put us all through over these past five days."  
. "Never."  
. "You know I've been looking at this situation the wrong way the whole time. One way would be us trapped in here with you. However, there's another way to look at it."_  
_. "And that is?"  
. "You're trapped in here with us."  
. "What?"_  
_. "Every failed murder opens up a new floor. And since you're somewhere in here as well, that gives you less and less room to manuver. And we get better at figuring out murders. In essence, everyone's death can be converted into another way to stop you-Oh god, what am I thinking?"_  
_. "You know? You remind me of someone I've seen before. White hair. Wild name too. He was always having the same line of reasoning. The two of you would get along famously."  
. "You mean, there's someone whose normal thought process follows that?" _Celeste asked. _"I wonder if we would ever meet this person."  
. ""Hey, Monokuma. You're so lucky Death the Kid isn't here. He'd have your short, asymmetrical hide in a flash. Bang! Bang!"_ Makoto held his hands in finger gun positions.  
_"Master Makoto Naegi, how do you know about Soul Eater?"  
"Yamada, this is the age of the Internet, and unlike the rest of you prodigies, I didn't really have a skill to hone, meaning not only could I explore all sorts of stuff, I can cross-reference it so much."_  
. _"What do you mean, prodigies?"_ Asahina asked.  
._ "Well, I mean, all of you are already well-known in your fields, despite all of you, aside from Hagakure, being teenagers."_  
. _"Fair point."  
. "You know, it's almost time for bed."_ Monokuma said. _"I'll be seeing you later." _Monokuma waddled out of the cafeteria, and the nighttime announcement played, and at that point, everybody filed off to bed.  
. At midnight, Celeste Ludenberg opened her eyes from sleep.  
. _"Damn it, I can't go back to sleep."_ She remembered the notebook inside her desk. "_If I'm going to sit around here, I might as well plan for the third trial."_  
. She sat at the desk, scribbling plans.  
. _"Okay, Leon and Asahina can be the runners between the trial room and the crime scene. They're clearly the most athletic. And speed is of the essence."_  
. She pressed her pen against the notebook. "_Now, who should we have to guard the crime scene? Yamada, and Hagakure? No. Both are dimwitted. Someone could easily get the jump on them. Naegi? Too vulnerable once I made the plan public. Maizono? Yes, yes, that could work. But with whom? Putting Naegi there works now."_  
. She sat back.  
. _"Okay, so Naegi and Maizono guard the crime scene. Kirigiri and Fujisaki could serve the role as detectives. So who does that leave? Togami and Genocider for trial discussion. And myself. And Yamada and Hagakure."  
.Celeste pondered a moment. "Yeah, yeah, that would work." _She was tired and went back to bed.  
. All of a sudden, she opened her eyes and beginning scribbling furiously._  
. "Wait, I'm not accounting for the victims and a murderer. What happens if Maizono is the victim? Do I continue to have Naegi guard the crime scene? Considering the emotional bond between the two of them and how physically vulnerable the guy is."  
. _Celeste looked at the time. It was one AM._  
. "Well, that did me some good, expending some intellectual energy, even if it's for unpleasant situations such as this was exactly what I needed to go sleep."  
. _And then odd thought popped into her head, _"what I presented my plan to the others, and then I subverted my own plan?"  
. _As she drifted off to sleep, Celeste's mind wouldn't let go of the possibility.  
. When she woke up, the thought still hadn't left her head.  
. "_Why am I so desperate to beat Monokuma by pointing out flaws in his setup? What's wrong with beating him with his own game?"_  
. "_Her consciousness said. '__**Nothing you haven't done before. If you stop to think about it, you've ruined countless lives with your underground gambling prowess. Who knows how many people had shady connections and were riding on that money? You've screwed everybody you've ever met out of everything they've ever owned. What's one more time?"**_  
._ "But those times I wasn't ending other people's lives. They still lived. I didn't kill them. If they were in that position, it was still their own fault."  
. "But how many times did people not take you seriously because you were a teenage girl? And they mistook Celeste Ludenberg as a pretty face."  
. "More times I care to admit."  
. "It wasn't until you built your reputation from the ground-up that people really took you seriously."_  
. Celeste shook her head. "_Am I murdering out of guilt? And if so, what right do I have to bring my victim into dealing with my guilt?"  
. "What guilt? Don't you want to get out of here?"  
. "Yes, I want to get out of here. Who doesn't?"  
. "An honest answer with yourself. Is that why you started playing chessmaster with the other students to counter Monokuma's plans? Because you take pride and knowing a game so well that you can guarantee yourself victory. You're not a general, you're just a gambler."  
. "Yes. I suppose that's true."  
. _The Monokuma morning announcement played._  
. "I guess that's my cue to go get breakfast."  
. _When Celeste entered the cafeteria, Kirigiri was also there._  
. "Hello, Kirigiri."  
. "Hello, Celeste."  
. _In the twenty minutes both sat there, neither talked much.  
. And then Leon came in with Asahina.  
. "_I'm telling you, play me one on one."  
. "What? You'd beat me hands down. It doesn't matter that I have a couple inches on you. You've played basketball a lot longer than I have. I've only played pickup games."  
. "So?"_  
. _"What are you two doing?" _Celeste asked.  
_. "She's been trying to convince me to play her one on one. She'd beat me, hands down."  
. "Ah, I see."  
. "There's sport jerseys in the store room. _" Kirgiri said.  
. "_There are?" _Asahina said. "_Well, if Leon won't play me one to one, perhaps one of you two will. AH- Maizono. I'm drafting you. You and me vs. Celeste and Kirigiri, two and two."  
. "Huh?"_ The idol was confused.  
_. "Wait, there's ten of us."_ Asahina said, excitedly. _"That means full-court five on five! I wonder if Monokuma will referee."  
. "I think you're jumping the gun a bit._" Leon said.  
. "_I'm still confused."_ Maizono said with a blank face. _"Full-court? Five on Five? Huh?"  
. "Maizono, don't worry about it. If you really as athletic as you claim to be from all that dancing as idol, you'll be able to handle it just fine."  
. "That's what I mean. I don't know the first thing about basketball."  
. "Well, you see, basketball was invented in 1891 by this Canadian with peach baskets-"  
. " I think she just need the rules, not a full-blown history."_ Leon interjected.  
. _"Oh, well, it's simple. You dribble the ball up and down the court, and put the ball in the basket. If you put the ball in, you get points. The team with the most points at the end of a game wins the game."  
. "I don't know the first thing about basketball. What's dribbling?"  
. "What's dribbling? I was expecting Hagakure to ask that. Well, dribbling is when you bounce the ball up and down in a controlled manner."  
. "So how long is the game?"  
. "Four quarters of twelve minutes with a halftime of about twenty minutes."  
. "That seems arbitrary."  
. "Eh—it kinda is."  
. "Hey, Monokuma!"_ Asahina called.  
. _"Yes?"_ Monokuma popped out.  
. _"There's ten people left, do you think you'd be willing to referee a five on five basketball game."  
. "What? You want to me to be referee."  
. "Yeah. You've got multiple androids of you. You and your rules lawyering, you'd make the perfect referee. Plus you got the whole color motif down perfectly. Put on an announcement at some point today, and game on."  
. "You know, when I started this High School Life of Mutual Killing, this is not what I had in mind."  
. "Believe me, Monokuma, when I woke up today, this isn't what I had in mind either."_ Celeste said.  
. "_If you don't want to play, then why haven't you objected yet?" _Leon asked._  
. "Asahina is certainly plucky- for a lack of a better word. Once she starts going, she doesn't stop, and nothing stands in her way."  
. "I can agree to that."  
. "So what did you have in mind?"  
. _Meanwhile, Asahina went around banging on people's doors.  
_. "Naegi! Wake up! Wake up!"_  
. Naegi opened the door rather groggily.  
_. "Not now, Maiz-, oh, Asahina."  
. "We're having a five on five basketball game today."  
. "What?"  
. "Monokuma's refereeing and setting the time."  
. "Huh?"  
. "Yeah, I'll get you when it's time."_  
. Asahina next went to Genocider's room.  
_. "Knock. Knock. Knock."  
. "Knock. Knock. Knock."  
. "Huh?"_  
. Genocider opened the door.  
_. "S'up, Mrs. Mammaries."  
. "Mrs. Mammaries?"  
. "Yeah."_  
. Asahina's enthusiasm waned considerably.  
. "_We're having a five on five basketball game today."  
. "When?"  
. "I don't know."  
. "Will my White Knight be participating?"  
. "I'll get Leon, Hagakure, and Naegi to drag him over if need be."  
. "Excellent."_  
. Asahina then went to Fujisaki's room.  
_. "Ah, Fujisaki."_  
_. "Yes?"  
. "We're having a five-on-five basketball in the gymnasium later today if you're willing to come."  
. "Or else?"  
. "Or else... what?"  
. "Come up with something, you can't have dangling 'else.'"  
. "Or else... we don't have a game?"  
. "Sorry, programming joke. The If-Else command."  
. "Ah, I see. Wait, no I don't. What's an If-Else command?"_  
_. "If-Else is a basic programming command. If 'A' is true, do B. If 'A' is not true, do C. That's it in a nutshell."  
. "Okay, you learn something new everyday."  
. "Is that all you came to tell me?"  
. "Yep. See ya later."  
_. Asahina then went to Yamada's room. After knocking several times, she determined he was on another floor. She didn't even bother knocking on Togami's door. She knew he would be in the library._  
_. Hagakure was strangely away from his room as well. Eh, she'd tell Togami next and see if she couldn't find them on the way._  
_. Sure enough, Togami was in the library._  
. "What is it?"  
. "We're going to need you for something."  
. "And that something is?"  
. "A five-on-five basketball game."  
. "I'm sorry? I don't play sports."  
. "Well, get out of your comfort zone. Or is the great Byakuya Togami not ever going to understand that the mind and the body are connected."  
. _And suddenly a voice called out, it was Yamada._  
. "You know, Lelouch Lamperouge had the exact same thing happen to him. He spent so much time on his mind that his athletic ability was nothing. It came back to bite him on several occasions."  
. "That's rich, coming from you."  
. "Are you calling me fat?"  
. "Maybe."  
. "You know what, fine, let's set this on the basketball court. Asahina ,your game will determine which of us is in superior physical condition."  
. "Uh, sure." Asahina said.  
. _Togami smirked._ "We shall see."  
. "Now to find Hagakure."_ Asahina muttered to herself.  
. After several hours, she couldn't find Hagakure. Was he still asleep? Had she just been missing him? She had even snuck in to ask Alter Ego if Hagakure had stopped by, and the answer was no.  
. At 11:15, a Monokuma announcement appeared.  
. _"Greeting alls. Please gather in the gymnasium for a bear-y special event."_  
. Asahina looked up excitedly. _"It must be time for the game." _She raced to the gymnasium where the other nine students, Hagakure included, were already there.  
. _"Alright, students. Courtesy of Asahina, we're gonna have ourselves a ball game!"_  
. Asahina was excited.  
_. "At least, that's what was expected for me to say, however since the money on the table hasn't been enough, there's been a change of plans. Here's an envelope for everybody, containing your most important secrets!"_ Monokuma said. "_If one of you doesn't commit a murder within the next four days, I'll reveal them to everybody."_  
. Naturally, Naegi had a question.  
_. "How?"  
. "I'm sorry?"  
. "How are you going to reveal them to everybody?"  
. "I'll read them aloud."  
. "To us. All of whom are in a closed system."  
. "So?"  
. "So? Are you saying you're going to reveal them to the whole world?"  
. "Yes."  
. "How?"  
. "I just can."  
. "Why should we believe you? Hey?" _Naegi was suddenly muffled by Kirigiri._  
. "I'm only going to say this once. But shut up. Your smartass comments are forcing Monokuma to flesh out his motive. And that's stupid."_  
. And with Monokuma's introduction of the motive, the students dispersed. Leon noticed how fast Asahina left the gymnasium, almost to the point of sprinting.  
. Leon was about to knock on Asahina's door when it occurred to him that perhaps Asahina needed some time alone. Her bold basketball plan had been dismantled right in front of her.  
_. "That was cruel, Monokuma."  
. "How did you know I was there, Leon?"  
. "Please, I've developed a sense for when players would try to steal second base on me. And after all these days, we're on Day 6. You have a tendency to pop up where you can try and stirrup the most mischief."  
. "Is that so?"_  
. _"Yeah."  
. "Well, I do have to keep the School Life of Mutual Killing progressing smoothly."  
. "No, you don't."  
. "Yes, I do."  
. "Then what's your angle? Why are you doing this?"  
. "To cause despair."  
. "De-constructing the idea of talent is more likely."_ Celeste said, approaching.  
_. "Upppu, is that so?"_Monokuma said, vanishing into the ether.  
_. "Monokuma has presented a third motive. Everybody else is already meeting in the cafeteria. I have a plan."  
. "Is that so?"  
. "Yes. I spent all night working on it."  
. "Tell me, Celeste, did you know about the motive before Monokuma presented it today?"  
. "Goodness, me. No. Of course not."  
. "But you conveniently have a plan."  
. "Yes."_  
_. "Excuse me, but you seem skeptical."  
. "So what if I am?"  
. "Well, could you at least bring Asahina with you? You should at least hear the plan. No one is co-ercing you into anything."_  
. Leon knocked on the door, and pressed the intercom.  
_. "Asahina. Asahina."_  
. Asahina opened the door..  
. _"Leon! Celeste."_  
. "_Greetings, Asahina. The rest of us are in the cafeteria. Would you and Leon care to join us?"  
. "No!" _The door slammed.  
_. "Oh well." _Celeste sighed.  
. _"Well, see ya later."_ Leon said.  
_. "You're not going to re-consider.?"  
. "No. I'm not."  
. "How interesting. You've never objected to my plans before."  
. "Your plans were never so devious."  
. "Devious? What ever do you mean?"  
. "Does the rest of the group know when you construct your little plan?"  
. "What's your secret?"  
. "I'm sorry."  
. "You're acting very suspicious."  
. "No you're acting suspicious."  
. "I am trying to come up with a plan."  
. "What seems to be the problem?"_ Kirigiri had arrived.  
. _"Leon doesn't want to come." _Celeste said.  
. _ "Are you trying to bait me? It's not going to work."_ Leon said, as he walked away to his room.  
. _"What's with him?"  
. "I think I know, but I'm not entirely sure."  
. "And Asahina?"  
. "Still in her room. She refused to come out."  
. "The two have been spending a rather large amount of time together."  
. "Oh, I hadn't known that."  
. "Well, they have. I've seen them around the school together."  
. "Ah. Is everybody still in the cafeteria?"  
. "Yes, but you're not going to keep Togami there for long. So you'd better come back."  
. "Okay."_  
. The two headed back to the cafeteria.  
. _"So what's this 'grand' plan you've prepared?" _Togami said. "_You better not be wasting my time."  
. "Yeah, you better not be wasting my White Knight's time." _Genocider said, waving her scissors.  
._ "Eeck."_ Yamada said. _"You have those scissors?"_  
. _"Sure. Why not?" _Naegi sighed. _"As if, this life can play itself completely straight otherwise."  
. "Dudes, so we got a serial killer primed and ready to kill, and we're just accepted this?"_ Hagakure said.  
. _"No, Genocider. Put those away!"_ Togami said. _"You could poke someone's eye out."  
. "Yes, my White Knight."_ Genocider said, sheathing her scissors.  
. "_That one's a really scrappy one." _Fujisaki commented.  
. "_Scrappy? How so? Like the Trope?"_ Naegi asked.  
_. "No, it was actually more of a reference to Sonic 2."  
. "What?"  
. "Enough. Fujisaki, you can explain your little reference later." _Celeste said.  
. "_Alright."  
. "So there's now eight of us._" Maizono said.  
. _"It appears that way." _Kirigiri said.  
_. "What about 'Hina? Or Leon?"_ Hagakure said.  
_. "I asked both to come. However, both turned me down."_ Celeste said.  
_. "Alright, let's get on with it." _Togami was impatient.  
_. "Well, the basic idea is this. Since the trial participation isn't limited to the trial room itself. I was going to present a co-ordinated way to improvise reasoning better."  
. "And how is that?"  
. "Well, the idea was to leave Naegi and Maizono at the crime scene."_  
. "_And?"  
. "You know, it's a real shame that neither of the athletes agreed to show up. They would know that their role would be running from the crime scene to the trial room, and back."  
. "The rest of us, save for Kirigiri, will be in the trial room discussing the murder and trying to work it out."  
. "So what will I be doing?"_ Kirigiri said.  
._ "You're not going to be a gadfly. You're going to be a loose cannon."  
. "Okay, but why me?"  
. "Because your reasoning skills are one of the best here, and you proved to be a great help in the last trial despite missing the murders, relatively speaking, of course, considering you spent the time in between the first and second trials trapped."  
. "Appreciate the compliment."  
. "And that's pretty much it."  
. "That's it?"_ Togami said.  
_. "Do you see a problem with it Togami?"  
. "Several."  
. "Such as?"  
. "What if Naegi or Maizono gets killed?"  
. "Then two other people take their place."  
. "Which two?"_  
_. "Probably Yamada and Hagakure."  
. "What if there are two separate bodies in two locations?"  
. "Then all four will be on guard duty. And Asahina will go to one of them and Leon will go to the other one."  
. "And what if two of those four are dead?"  
. "Then we improvise."  
. "Of course we do."  
. "Any other objections?"  
. "What if someone attacks Asahina or Leon?" _Togami said, eyes shifting to Kirigiri.  
_. "I'm sorry?"  
. "What if the murderer is on guard duty?"  
. "Oh, I hadn't thought about that.I guess we'll have to chance it."  
. "You don't flesh out your plans enough."  
. "Considering that this is one of my more fleshed out plans in my life."  
. "Yeah, I have several more flaws."  
. "Such as?"  
. "What if we have two different murderers who murder separate victims?"  
. "Then we have a really secretive class."  
. "Don't joke like that."  
. "Why should it matter to you? You don't give a crap as long as you survive."_  
. Monokuma suddenly appeared.  
_. "Up-pupu. Well, this is new. You're all banding together to respond to a murder. I didn't think that would happen."  
. "Yeah, well, people can bond surprisingly well when their lives are in danger." Celeste said.  
. "But relationships formed intense danger never work out. Haven't you heard that before?"  
. "This isn't forming romantic relationships."  
. "In any case, I wonder how long your plan will hold up. They say no plan ever survives contact with the enemy."  
. "Yes, that's true." _Togami said._  
. "How do you think I became so successful on the underground gambling circuit? I improvised." Celeste countered.  
. "Yes, but you had the element of surprise then."  
. "That's true."  
. "However, now you don't."_ Togami said, as he walked out of the cafeteria, with Genocider following him.  
. Slowly, everybody except Maizono and Celeste were left in the cafeteria._  
. "Why are you still here, Maizono?"  
. "Because I wanted to ask you something."  
. "And that is?"  
. "If one of us dies, why would you sub out the other?"  
. "Because the emotional impact would probably get to the other one."  
. "I see."  
. "Is that all?"  
. "I have one more question."  
. "And that is?"  
. "Why are you coming up with these plans? When I first saw you, I had you pegged as someone you didn't care about anyone else unless you could use them. You're the Queen of Liars."  
. "So?"  
. "I'm saying that all things considered, given your personality, you should have stayed away from the rest of us. "  
. "Well, is that so?"  
. "'Should' probably isn't the right word. But the fact remains, your actions don't match up with what's known about your past."  
. "You'd been looking into my past."  
. "I'm saying that there was something unusual when I checked you out on the forums. Your infomraton seemed a little off."  
. "How so? Naegi and Kirigiri didn't have any information on them."  
. "They're relative unknowns. It doesn't surprise me that there was little information on them."  
. "So what's wrong with my information?"  
. "The forums were filled with posts from current and past classmates about how they knew the students. I dug deep enough, and I noticed something weird. Whereas everybody else had at least several elementary school stories from old classmates, all of the information and stories about you seemed to come within the last three years or so. And all of them came from your gambling opponents."  
. _Celeste's eyes widened._  
. "Why you'd dig so deep?"_

AUTHOR'S NOTE: That comparison between Monokuma and Death the Kid was one of the first things I ever wrote for this fic. And yes, I do plan on future chapters being about 4,000 words. The story is getting pretty meaty. Please leave a review, if you feel so inclined.

Oh, check out a sorta-fledging Tumblr page where I'll post things about this fic if you're interested in beta ideas. Who knows, you might even see some scrapped lines? It's AnotherStatsGuy. Also, the specific tag I'm using is #SDHSL Smartass. So if you feel so inclined, ask me a question using that #. I also have a Twitter page. Also, AnotherStatsGuy.


	21. Cues, Calculus, & Celeste's Capers

Chapter 21

_"The forums were filled with posts about how they knew the students. I dug deep enough, and I noticed something weird. Whereas everybody else had at least several elementary school stories from old classmates, all of the information and stories about you seemed to come within the last three years or so."  
. _Celeste's eyes widened._  
. "Why you'd dig so deep?"  
. "Remember how Makoto Naegi and I used to go to the same middle school?"__  
__."Yeah."  
. "Well, I was trying to confirm if the Makoto who got into the Hope's Peak and the one I went to middle school with were one and the same."  
. "And they were."  
. "But I didn't know that until I got here."  
. "So you did a bunch of digging. And look at where's it got us. You shouldn't have dug so deep."  
. "Well, I did. It's what I do."  
. _Meanwhile, Alter Ego was getting lonely. Only his Master had come by since he had initially been introduced to everyone.  
_. "Well, perhaps, I should have been introduced more slowly."_  
. And then someone walked into the door.  
. _"Oh, hi. I don't think I've met you before. My voice recognition library tells me that you are Toko Fukawa."  
. "My name is Genocider Syo. Cherry told me about you."  
. "Cherry? Oh, you mean, master."  
. "Uh huh."  
. "How are you, Genocider?"  
. "Well, I've been trapped in the school for who knows how long. However, I've finally become the dominant personality."  
. "Dominant personality? So are you different from Toko Fukawa?"  
. "Quite certainly. I am a notorious serial killer. Mrs. Morose is more afraid of blood."  
. "What it is serial killing? And what is blood?"  
. "Cherry didn't program you with like a dictionary?"  
. "Oh, Master did. It's just they're just words. I have no context for them."  
. "Well, serial killing is when you continuously kill people."  
. "And what does it mean to kill someone?"  
. "It means you end their life. It means their death and that they are dead, and they can never interact with this world again."  
. "According to my library of files, I find that inaccurate. Bodies decompose. They're still interacting with the environment. So what is death, truly?"  
. "Now, you're asking some deep philosophical questions, kid."_  
_. "Yay. Yay! Yay!"  
. "What are you so excited about?"  
. "You treated me like an actual person. You're the first person other than Master to do that!"  
. "Well, I can relate. I wasn't born. I was made."  
. "Born: the process by which a living thing leaves its womb or egg and becomes alive."  
. "Yeah. That's a pretty good definition. I mean, I still have Toko Fukawa's blood running through my veins. It's just me controlling the body."  
. "I see. You mention Fukawa was afraid of blood earlier. Was she afraid of blood because of you?"  
. "What?"  
. "Perhaps she was afraid of blood because it reminded her of you."_  
. Genocider nodded her head in agreement.  
. _"Oh, Genocider."_ Fujisaki had walked in.  
. _"Oh, hi, Cherry." _Genocider replied.  
. _"Master, Master. I made a friend today." _Alter Ego excitedly told Fujisaki.  
_. "Is it Genocider?"  
. "Yes!"  
. "Good to hear. So how are you with decrypting those files?"_  
. "_Not as far as I would like. The algorithms keep changing. The letters of the passwords keep jumping an integer every 0.192308 seconds."  
. "They're that advanced?"  
. "'Fraid So."  
. "Can you slow it down?"  
. "Maybe. At the very least, it's an even cycle of twenty four hours."  
. "Convenient, isn't it?"  
. "No, it's actually quite simple. They set it on a cycle of twenty-four hours on purpose. With twenty-six letters over a twenty-four hour period, the least common multiple of twenty six that can be divided by twenty four is three-hundred and twelve."  
. "Perhaps it was made that way in order to accommodate leap years."  
. "I'd like to think so."  
. "Well, in either case, that makes a bit easier to crack."  
. "Yeah, we'll have to figure out the relation between the letters. For instance, they would all be in the same thing. If it were A, B,C, D,E,F, after 0.192308 seconds, it would be B,C,D,E,F,G. If it were A,C,E,G,I,K, after 0.192308 seconds, it would be B,D,F,H,J,L."  
. "Nonsense."  
. "To the untrained eye, probably. However, once you figure out the relation between the letters, go through all the combinations. Try any real words first."  
. "Aye-Aye."  
. _Fujisaki and Genocider left Alter Ego.  
. "_You know, he's kinda growing on me."  
. "Shush. We don't want Monokuma finding out about Alter Ego."  
. "Good point."_  
. Genocider went back to her room, while Fujisaki went up to the library. Togami was there.  
._ "Oi, Fujisaki, what are you doing?_" Togami said, sharply.  
_. "I'm getting some books."  
. "About?"  
. "Random stuff. Something to take my mind off of what's going on."  
. "So have you made any decisions?"  
. "Not yet."_  
. Leon laid on his bed.  
. _"Poor Asahina. Her beautiful plan had come crashing down on her through no fault of her own. We've been in here six days now, and what do we have to show for it? Four dead students, and one unleashed serial killer."_  
. He had energy. He needed to burn it.  
. He left his room, and ran into Naegi.  
. "_Hey." _Naegi said.  
_. "Hey."  
. "Everybody's just sorta down."  
. "Yeah."  
. "One thing's for certain, Monokuma is in this for the long haul."  
. "Of course, he is. We didn't already know that?"  
. "No, I think we all thought that he would try to end this game as quickly as possible to break us."  
. "And?"  
. "I think Monokuma had plans in case we were durable."  
. "And there were?"  
. "The motives. Don't you think it's a bit strange he's had them prepared? Where'd he even get that much money in the first place?"  
. "But there hasn't been a death because of the motives."  
. "That'll change soon."  
. "Wait, how do you know there's going to be another death? Are you going to murder someone?"  
. "Of course not."  
. "Then how do you know?"  
. "Because I'm not stupid."  
. "And what's your proof?"  
. "The fact that we've had two trials already?"  
. "Fair point."_  
. Naegi decided to change the subject.  
. "_Wanna try and find something to play in the rec room?"  
. "Eh sure."  
. _The two went up to the rec room. _  
. "Well, there's a pool table."_ Naegi said.  
. _"Do you even know how to play?"_ Leon asked.  
. "_No. Do you?"  
. "Of course."  
. "How?"  
. "Something I picked up from my dad."  
. "Is that so?"  
. "Yeah."  
. "What was he like?"  
. "Nothing too special. Always telling me to keep my head in the game."  
. "So did he push you?"_ Naegi asked, as Leon began the game.  
_. "No. Not really. Actually, he never really showed up to my games."  
. "Huh. What was he doing instead? Working?"  
. "I wish. That would have made sense. No, a lot of the time when he missed my games, he was home... sitting his armchair... snoring."  
. "That sounds rough."  
. "Eh. I got used to it."_  
. Leon continue to pocket billiard balls, but missed at the three-ball.  
_. "Alright, it's your turn."_  
_. "It is?"  
. "Yeah. I didn't pocket any balls with my last shot."  
. "Okay. How do I shoot?"  
. "Have you chalked up the end of your cue?"  
. "No...?"  
. "The chalk should be on the shelf below the pool cues. Rub all over the end of the cue that you're hitting with."  
. "Alright."  
. "Then line the cue up in between your index and middle fingers."  
. "Like this?"  
. "Arc your fingers a bit more. There you go, you may have to adjust it as you get better with shots."  
. "Ah. Okay."_  
. Yamada walked in.  
_. "What are you two doing?"  
. "Playing pool._" Leon replied. "_You should learn how to play too."  
. "What good is playing pool?" _Yamada replied.  
_. "You never know, man. It might help in social situations."  
. "Yeah, right."  
. "Hey, it's helped me."  
. "How?"_ Naegi asked.  
. _"Well, in middle school, there was this really cute girl who saw that I could play. I ended up teaching her how to play,and then we got to talking."  
. "And then you started dating her, right?"_ Naegi said.  
. "_Yeah, pretty much."_  
. _"Yes, well, that is not applicable to me."_ Yamada said, rather stiffly.  
. _"Because you insist on girls that are only two dimensions." _Leon said. _"And no matter how you slice it, that's not normal."_  
_. "So?"__  
. "So? I'm saying that you'll miss out on valuable life experiences if you continue acting this way."  
. "My manga and light novels provide me with everything I need."  
. "You say that. But someday it really won't. Trust me, just because I'm the SDHSL All-Star doesn't mean baseball is everything that defines me."  
. "And what about you, Naegi?"  
. "Me?"  
. "It seems to me your luck is all there is to you as well. But it seems like getting in here means your good luck has run out."  
. "You really think so?"  
. "Yeah. If you hadn't been selected as the Luckster, you wouldn't be here."  
. "You think all I had until this point was good luck? You're mistaken. There's two sides to luck: good and bad. My luck was usually as follows: get put in bad situation that never should have happened in first place, but have enough good luck (or brains) to get out of situation. The improbable seems commonplace."  
."Really?"  
."Yeah. Let me give you a hypothetical situation. Let's say I'm crossing the street. I get hit by a car as a pedestrian. That's bad luck."  
. "Or maybe you should have looked both ways better."_ Yamada said.  
_. "Yeah, that's pretty bad."_ Leon said.  
_. "However, I go to the hospital, and they tell me that my only injuries are a bunch of strained muscles. I'll be sore for the rest of the week. But otherwise I'll be able to just walk it off."  
. "Is that even possible?"_ Yamada said. _"I feel like you're stretching it a bit too far."  
. "What, you want me to wonder afterwards if I got hit by an undercover cop too?"_ Naegi said.  
_. "Okay..." _Leon said. _"So that's your life in a nutshell."  
. "Yeah, basically... 'Shit. Shit. Shit. Phew.'"  
. "That sounds rather risky."  
. "You think I want it that way?"  
. "Well, perhaps, you ought to evaluate your life's choices. Maybe stay inside a bit more often."_ Yamada said, as he left.  
_. "Yeah... no. So, Leon, who's winning our pool game?"  
. "I am."  
. "Really? No way!"  
. "Dude. You haven't even shot yet."  
. "Oh, right."_  
. Maizono was absolutely bored with this place. The third floor offered nothing of substance for her.  
_. "I might as well check it out again."_ Maizono thought to herself.  
. Elsewhere, Monokuma was watching the scenes unfold.  
. _"Oooo... the plot is happening. The plot is happening. The plot is happen- Wow. I really need to stop talking to myself. I really hope those brats trigger Monokuma soon."_  
. Celeste walked into the game room.  
._ "Oh, you two are playing pool."  
. "More like, I'm playing pool, and Naegi here... is whiffing his shots." _Leon replied.  
_. "Hey!_" Naegi said indignantly.  
_. "I see."_ Celeste replied.  
. "_Celeste, do you know how to play?"_ Leon asked. "_Because Naegi here is not very good. No challenge whatsoever."  
. "Oh, come on. I can get good."_ Naegi said.  
_. "Yeah, but you'll have to practice... a lot."_ Leon said.  
_. "That's rich, coming from the guy who never went to baseball practice."  
. "I'm no good with pool."_ Celeste said.  
_. "Really?"_ Leon said. "_I don't believe it. You mean to tell me that pool never came up once on that underground gambling circuit of yours?"  
. "Nope."  
. "I'm not buying it."  
. "It's true."_  
. And suddenly a fourth voice came in.  
. "_What are you three doing?"  
. "Hey, Maizono." _Naegi said, nonchalantly.  
. _"Are you guys playing pool?" _Maizono asked.  
_. "Yeah."  
. "Mind if I take a shot?"  
. "Sure, go ahead. At least you'll do better than Naegi here, who keeps whiffing his shots." Leon said.  
. "Hey!"  
. "Dude, you haven't even pocketed one ball besides the cue ball yet. And you've had several point blank shots too. Face it man, you're no good at pool."_  
. Maizono lined up the cue, and immediately pocketed several balls.  
. Leon whistled. "_That's impressive. Who knew the pop idol could play pool so well?"  
. "I pick up things."  
. "You don't say."_  
. _"Well, this is interesting." _Celeste said.  
. _"What is?"_ Maizono asked.  
._ "I feel like, this is going to play a big part in our next trial."_ Celeste said.  
. _"Come on, Celeste. Not ever detail has to come up down the line." _Naegi said.  
. _"Still."  
. "Hey, Celeste. Cut the talk about the third trial for now. Nobody's dead yet. So you might as well not worry about it."  
. "Truly, Maizono is that all you can say? Don't you have things on the outside world you're worried about?"  
. "Of course."  
. "And what are they? For I'm sure the others have them as well."  
. "That's none of your concern."  
. "Have you forgotten about Monokuma's motive? Our secrets? We have four days, today included."  
. "You know, Celeste, you're making yourself look really suspicious down the line."_  
_. "So you say."  
. "All right, Celeste, tell us of your gambling exploits. I'm sure the Queen of Liars must have some fascinating stories to tell."  
. "Alright, beware. The stories I am about to tell you are not meant to be heard under 'normal' circumstances."_  
. Maizono raised an eyebrow.  
._ "I once played a game of majhong for my very life."  
. "Uh huh."  
. "It was this grand affair held at some crazy old rich man's mansion."  
. "Rrriightt.."  
. "I played against an old man with 'monstrous luck' and a young, silver-haired boy they called a demon."  
. "What?"  
. "The rules we used were a non-standard variation, and I seem to remember playing with glass tiles..."  
. "Convenient, eh?."  
. "Anyway, I wrapped the both of them around my finger so tight they popped."  
. "I hope that's only a metaphor."_ Naegi said.  
. _"I'm sure it is." _Maizono replied.  
. _"And..."_ Celeste continued. "_That's not all I have to tell. My victory was quite a surprise. The whole room was abuzz with excitement."  
. "If you say so."  
. "What a wonderful day that was."  
. "Of course it was."  
. "Speaking of which, do any of you know how to play shogi?"  
. "No." _All three of replied._  
. "Uh, Celeste, do you not know how to play shogi because it's not gambling." _Naegi asked._  
. "On contrary, you can gamble at shogi. And I have done so."  
. "Bet you got ass whooped."_ Maizono said, as she pocked yet another billiard ball._  
. "If I did, I wouldn't be telling you about that time I won the underground shogi tournament."_  
. "_Okay, there's beginner's luck._" Maizono said. _"But that's taking it a bit too far."  
. "The only thing I can think of is that the opponent assumed Celeste knew what she was doing, and mistook her arbitrary moves as some sort of advanced technique of play. That or this tournament wasn't exactly full of high-profile players." _Naegi said. "_Am I right?"  
. "I assume so."_ Celeste said. "_I have no idea what was going through any of my opponents' heads."  
. "Oh, please, it's obvious that you're making it up."_ Maizono said.  
._ "The more stories you tell, the more you baffle us."_ Leon said.  
._ "You know what, on another note, it's a shame that there are no dry cleaners in this academy." _Celeste said.  
._ "I'm sure you can put in a request to Monokuma._" Naegi said.  
. _"No, you can't. What am I? Some home repair or hotel service."_ Monokuma angrily popped out and shouted.  
. _"Well, you are keeping us trapped here."_ Maizono replied.  
_. "The least you can do is provide us with all the amenities we want. Dry cleaners, television shows, etc."_ Naegi said.  
. "_What?"_ Monokuma said, flabbergasted. "_This is a game with the express purpose of causing despair."  
. "I feel like you should have at least ambushed us on a school trip."_ Naegi said.  
. "_What? To a tropical island, or something?"  
. "No, well, we'd be in a hotel or something. You know what? Don't hotels have dry cleaners?"  
. "Some of the more fancy ones do."_ Maizono said, nonchalantly, as she continued to pocket more billiard balls off the rails."  
. _"Ah. See." _Naegi said. "_If you didn't want to run into issue, you should have trapped us somewhere else. Maybe somewhere with a trampoline park or something."  
. _Monokuma shouted with his paws up. "_Really, a trampoline park? Are you even taking this game seriously?"_  
. "_You know, Monokuma, sometimes, it really is hard to." _Naegi admitted.  
. _"ARGH!"  
. "Monokuma, could you please install a dry-cleaning service?"_ Celeste graciously asked.  
_. "No can do."  
. "Well, anyway, back to the most dangerous situation, I, Celeste Ludenberg, have ever faced as a gambler..."  
. "Aren't you suddenly raising the stacks there, pal?" _Leon cautiously asked.  
. _"I was invited by a mysterious organization to participate in a tournament they ran..."_  
. _"And?" _Maizono commented, leaning on her pool cue.  
. _"It was known as The Liar King. Where players participate in a series of games in which they mercilessly compete to steal one another's assets."  
. "So winning this tournament is how you got your name 'The Queen of Liars'?  
. "To survive each round, you need more than luck, but intelligence, cunning, and to be a strong negotiator."  
. "How'd you manage it then?"_ Maizono snarkly asked.  
_. "Haha. Anyway, as I was saying, in the final round of that tournament, I faced an unusual pair: A foolishly honest girl and a master con man..."  
. "Okay. How good were they?"  
. "Actually, during a short break, I clumsily spilled some tea on my dress, I was so worried about whether it would stain. So I quickly put an end to the game and rushed to the dry cleaners. Thankfully, I made it before the stain had set, but it was a close call."  
. "What?"_ Naegi said.  
_. "Had I taken a little longer, I would have lost one of my favorite dresses."  
. "That's your most dangerous situation?"_ Naegi asked. "_Seriously?"  
. "Why, yes, of course."  
. "Slave to fashion, much?"_ Maizono snarked.  
_. "Oh, you're one to talk, Ms. Pop Idol." _Celeste snarked right back.  
. _"Hey!"  
. "Now, now, calm down."_ Leon said.  
. "_What about you, Maizono?" _Celeste asked. _"I've told my stories, what about yours?"  
. "There's not much to tell."  
. "Sure, there is."  
. "I mean, why did you become a pop idol?"  
. "Because... I wanted friends. And when I was younger I saw them on TV all the time. They looked so amazing, and everyone loved them. At home, it was just me and my father. And usually, my father was working late."  
"And what about your mother?"  
"I don't like talking about her."  
. "I see."  
. "Anything else?"  
. "No, not really. I'll see you guys later."_ Maizono said, as she walked out of the recreation room.  
._ "Well, this is awkward."_ Leon said. _"So I'm just going to leave and take a nap."_  
. That left just Naegi and Celeste in the recreation room.  
_. "Hey, Celeste, what type of car would Nunnally have driven?"  
. "Naegi, I don't watch anime."  
. "Wait for it, wait for it! A Nii-san!"  
. "Huh. I don't get it. But I'm assuming it's a really bad pun."  
. "Ugh. Do I have to explain it to you?"  
. "I'd honestly prefer if you didn't."_  
. Hagakure was sitting in his room. He left his room.  
. Kirigiri was hanging around the physics lab, staring at a box full of basic motion sensors. She was alone with her thoughts, which would not shut up. She had read her secret that Monokuma had deposited on the floor of the gymnasium.  
. _**'Kirigiri won't say that she's suffering from amnesia.'**_  
. _"That would explain why I have gaps in my memory."_ Kirigiri thought. "_I mean, if I told everybody else I had amnesia, they probably wouldn't believe me."_  
. But what puzzled her most was what Monokuma hadn't written down. She had honestly expected to be something from before Hope's Peak, not something that was happening right now. Was it because she was the only living person who knew her own secrets from before Hope's Peak?  
. _"There was literally nothing on me on the online forums other than my name. Not even my talent."_ She recalled. That had amused her. _"I'm the enigma. Well one of them anyway."_  
. The other person who had had almost no information had been Makoto Naegi. Beyond his title of Luckster, and a few physical specifications like his height, weight, hair and eye colors, etc, there was nothing to suggest he was anything but an ordinary boy.  
. And yet the actual boy had been anything but ordinary. Instead of being swallowed up by his peers, Kirigiri had noticed, he had adjusted, and had adjusted to each of his classmates individually. With Maizono, he became the calm voice of reason, and almost like a boyfriend. With Fujisaki, he had been a video game geek. With Yamada, he dropped references to anime like it was nothing.  
. Later, that afternoon, Fujisaki was sitting in the library with some calculus textbooks. Away from Togami. Fujisaki had tried to look at the physics textbooks, but without some knowledge in calculus, it was going to be harder than originally thought. Besides, studying math and physics would help with programming Alter Ego.  
. Opening the calculus book, Fujisaki read silently. There were some helpful theorems on the first page such as the Binomal Theorems for polynomials:  
-:: x^2-y^2 = (x+y)(x-y)  
-:: x^3+y^3= (x+y)(x^2-xy+y^2)  
-:: x^3-y^3 = (x-y)(x^2+xy+y^2)  
. Fujisaki was becoming rather fascinated with the mathematics, and decided to immediately start coding calculus into Alter Ego immediately beginning with limits. Limits were a simple enough concept to understand. What is the value of y as x approaches a certain 'a' value? (Left-hand limits and right-hand limits were found to be self-explanatory.) Often times, you could just plug in the original number, but in the case of functions with polynomials in the denominator, you would have to attempt to simplify them out of the 'fraction' entirely.  
. An odd thought entered Fujisaki's head.  
. _"What if the relations between the letters in the password that Alter Ego was attempting to crack involved polynomials somehow? Or heaven forbid, something more advanced like derivatives and intervals." _That opened a whole new can of worms. How in the world would Fujisaki program Alter Ego to start including polynomial calculations in his attempts to break it?"  
. _"No, wait, Alter Ego says that every twenty-four hours is an even cycle of the letters. No way any complex mathematics beyond simple arithmetic and ratios could be involved. At least that's what I'm hoping." _Fujisaki muttered quietly.  
. _"Oy vey."_ Togami said, walking over. "_What are you looking at? Calculus? Physics?"  
. "Yeah, I mean I found them, and it's not like I have much else to do."  
. "Finally, someone else here with an ounce of intelligence."  
. "What?"  
. "We're trapped in a school for who knows how long and we've been left to our own devices, finally someone else gets the bright idea to actually, you know, LEARN something."  
. "I see your point. I can't believe nobody else has thought of it."  
. "Yes, well, they all lack intelligence. But might I ask, why are you doing calculus and physics?"  
. "Because it can help me with more complex programming."_  
. _"Ah. That at least makes sense. Improving your skill. A worthwhile endeavor."_  
. Togami went back to reading his book, while Fujisaki continued perusing the textbook.  
. And then Kirigiri walked in.

Please leave a review if you feel so inclined.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I wrote this chapter with the idea that the dust was finally starting to settle a little bit within Hope's Peak. Besides, it isn't until the third floor opens up that the students start to spread out. I'm also playing with a few ideas, and I need to make sure the timing in-story is just right. As for the math, well, I felt like averting 'Writers Cannot Do Math' for a change, and who better to do that than with Fujisaki. It's times like these I wish the free-time events in DR1 had been expanded a bit more (especially for the characters didn't make it to more than one or two trials in canon)


	22. Collide 'N' Hybridize

Chapter 22:

._ "What are you doing here, Kirigiri?" _Togami asked, his face maneuvering around his book on the Napoleonic Wars.  
. "_I just came here to ask if either of you have seen Yamada or Hagakure." _she replied.  
._ "No."_ Both replied.  
. _"Why are you looking for them?"_ Togami asked.  
. _"That's none of your business." _Kirigiri replied.  
_. "Well, I don't trust you."_  
_. "You don't trust anybody."  
. "That's not the point."  
. "Weird."_ Fujisaki said, as Kirigiri walked out. _"Wonder what that's all about."  
. "She probably thinks one of them has murdered the other."_ Togami said.  
_. "And that doesn't bother you?"  
. "Not in the slightest."_  
. With that, the conversation ended. Togami went back to flipping pages in his books. Fujisaki went back to studying calculus.  
. Kirigiri walked along the second floor, pacing back and forth in front of the library.  
._ "What's going on? Something's up. And I know it. But what? What could possibly be the mastermind's next move? There's four days left until Monokuma reveals the secrets."_  
. She put her hand up to her forehead.  
. _"But without knowing everybody else's secrets, I can't hazard a guess as to where Monokuma got them from. How did he get them?_"  
. Naegi looked at the clock. Celeste had left Naegi about an hour ago. When she left, Naegi was still practicing his pool shots. Shooting them across the field of green felt, he made an observation.  
_. "It seems you need an understanding of geometry and physics."  
. "Quite right."_ Fujisaki said, walking in. _"The felt needs to be as close to frictionless as possible. Otherwise, the collision becomes more and more inelastic."  
. "Inelastic collisions?"_ Naegi asked. _"Fujisaki, since when are you a physics person?"_  
_. "Since I got trapped here in this school. It seems almost too easy. But anyway, inelastic collisions are when the conversation of momentum or kinetic energy is not the same before and after the collision."  
. "Conversation of momentum?"_ Naegi asked, somewhat confused.  
_. "Yes, it's when no momentum is lost through a physics system."  
. "What the hell is momentum?"  
. "It's mass times velocity. I mentioned this before." _Fujisaki said, circling the pool table again. _"But conceptually, it's Force divided by time. In other words, how much Force multiply by how much time do you have to apply in order for the object to stop moving. The higher the number the greater the force and or time required to stop it."  
. "Okay. That somewhat makes sense."_ Naegi said, attempting another shot.  
. "_Friction applies force outside the collision, which is why, technically, pool shots are inelastic. But for simplicity sakes, there are usually calculated as elastic."  
. "Elastic collisions? Let me guess. They're the opposite of inelastic collisions. Where the conversation of momentum and the conservation of kinetic energy applies."  
. "Yes."_ Fujisaki replied, lining up a pool shot and nailing it off the rail.  
_. "Thanks for the physics lesson. You know, we must be running out of things to say to each other if we're talking about physics in our free time."  
. "What else can we talk about? I mean, it's not like your usual small talk of "How's the weather?" is going to work."  
. "Hey, Fujisaki."  
. "Yes."  
. "How's the weather?"  
. "A pleasant day in the mid-70s. And now for five-day forecast, another day in the mid-70s tomorrow. And it looks to be in the mid-70s all week. Courtsey of that air purifier in the physics lab."_ Fujisaki snarked.  
. _"You know I think that's the most accurate weather report somebody's ever predicted."_ Naegi replied.  
. _"You mean to tell me, they get it right once in a while?"_ Fujisaki said.  
. The two continued to play pool until the evening Monokuma announcement.  
. Naegi slept peacefully, others less so. Their dreams were all filled of days gone by, of what life had been like before they had been trapped here. All of them were itching to get back. One day, they would get back.  
. At midnight, Genocider opened her eyes.  
. _"I'm bored. I should go see Alter Ego again. But it would be suspicious if Monokuma saw me prowling around just now. So I guess I'll just do something about that. I wonder if Master Byakuya is still in the library."_  
. She left her dorm room, and prancing away up to the library. Togami was not around.  
. _"Bummer. Master Byakuya must have gone to sleep already."_  
. Genocider saw the atrium of secret case files.  
. _"Hmmm, I wonder."_ She thought to herself as she strolled on in, her shadow changing angles from the lights.  
. Sure enough, it was there. The Genocider Shou case file. She flicked her tongue around.  
. _"I wonder what they've said about me."_ She said as she opened the case file and began reading.  
. Suspect likely has Disassociation Identity Disorder.  
. _"Well, these cops got that right. Except Mrs. Gloomy isn't around anymore."_  
. There were lists of a good portion of the victims. They noted that every victim was male, and that victim had been found the same way, crucified gruesomely with her custom-made scissors, with the words "Bloodbath Fever" written with their own blood.  
. Other than that, the cops could find no connection between the victims. Some were as young as seventeen, others were in their late twenties and early thirties. Genocider could personally remember Mrs. Gloomy's disdain for some of them. She had read her alternate self's diary a great deal of many times. Of course the cops would have no idea how to connect them if the lone connection was that every victim's name was contained in one teenage girl's diary, all entries dated mere days before they died.  
. The longest any 'victim' had lasted after Mrs. Gloomy had written down their name was about a week. . _"A notebook that kills people. I feel like someone turned that into a story already."_ Genocider thought to herself.  
. She fingered the pages, trying to remember why they all died. That one was written in because Mrs. Gloomy had been rejected in the most gruesome fashion, humiliating her in front of the whole school. She remembered exactly one name Mrs. Gloomy had written in her diary, that Genocider hadn't gone after.  
. _**"Kenji Suzuki."**_  
. If she recalled Mrs. Gloomy's diary correctly, Kenji had let her down relatively easily. He also scored points because it wasn't like he went into another relationship either. He had never shown much interest in girls (or guys) on a romantic level. He treated her much the same way after Fukawa's confession as he had before it. Such a plain name too. He also went off to college across the ocean right after the rejection, so she couldn't have gone after him even if she wanted to, but Genocider couldn't remember what Fukawa had written down about why he had gone. Kenji did his things, and that was it.  
. She went back to perusing the list of victims.  
. _**Kazuto Tanaka  
. Daisuke Sato  
. Takato Isogai  
. Kouichi Kanabara  
. Junpei Yasuhiro**_  
. The list went on.  
. _**Tomohito Ishida  
. Taisei Muramatsu**_  
. _** Ren Shindo**_  
. And so forth, the list continued even longer.  
. Genocider read the list, and those were just the kills confirmed to her. Though she doubted how there could be 'unconfirmed' kills. She killed everyone the exact same way. If it resembled the other deaths, then it was one of hers, if it wasn't like that, then it wasn't one of hers. There was no way around that.  
. Genocider flicked her tongue around her mouth. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up.  
_. "Hello, Monokuma."  
. "Gasp. That's some perception skill you have there, Genocider. So have you thought about my offer yet?"  
. "Yeah, I've thought about it."  
. "And?"_  
. Leon awoke to a knocking at his door. He sleepily rubbed his eyes and got out of his bed. He drank a swig of a sports drink just before answering the door as a precaution.  
. There was a piece of paper neatly folded in thirds as the front of his door. Leon quickly grabbed the piece and hastily shut the door. He opened it. The letters were written in blocky letters.  
.**"Tomorrow night, meet me at 1:30 AM in the physics prep room. I think there might be a way out. It would be bad if Monokuma found out."**  
. Leon muttered to himself. _"Whoever wrote this message, why use the blocky letters? Eh, whatever. I'll ask that person at our meeting tomorrow night."_  
. It seemed to Maizono that the next morning came too swiftly. Her dreams were broken up by the morning Monokuma announcement. From what she had dreamed, Naegi was there, and so was Ishimaru. Naegi had been refusing to reveal something to Ishimaru, but for the moment, Maizono had no idea what Naegi had been avoiding to say.  
. She slowly rose from her bed, put on her school uniform like she had every day for the past week or so. Airily, she walked into the cafeteria. Kirigiri was sipping her coffee.  
_. "Morning, Kirigiri."  
. "Morning, Maizono."  
. "See anybody else this morning?"  
. "Togami came in. Said he needed something to keep his mind after reading all night."_  
_. "Couldn't he just sleep through the day?"  
. "That's what I asked him, but apparently not."_  
. Hagakure walked in.  
_. "S'up dudes."  
. "Hello, Hagakure, I didn't normally expect to see this early."_  
. Hagakure twiddled his thumbs.  
. _"Something wrong?"_ Kirigiri asked. "_You look flustered."_  
_. "I-i-t's nothing. Just worried about the next few days. I mean, the secrets are going to come up out in three days unless someone commits murder."_  
_. "Yes, I suppose so."  
. "You know, I hate to say it. But I'm actually kinda of curious about what everybody's secrets are."_ Maizono said, cautiously. She was hesistant to bring it up. Discussing the motive might lead to issues later on.  
. _"Easy for you to say. You're a pop idol. What kinda dastardly secrets could you have? You autotune or something?"_ Hagakure said.  
_. "W-w-hat? No."_  
_. "Does it have something to do with your blue hair?"  
. "My hair?"  
. "Yeah, your hair. Why's it blue?"  
. "I don't think that's important."_  
. Just then Yamada walked in. His glasses shone expectantly.  
_. "Truly, we are the Elite Four of Getting-up-In-The Morning!"  
. "Dude, that could sound so wrong taken out of context."_ Leon yawned, walking into the cafeteria for the morning greetings that doubled as alibi creators. _"So what are you talking about?"_  
_. "You ever noticed that Maizono's hair is blue?!"_ Hagakure said, getting straight to the point.  
_. "Yeah, what's yer point? So she's dyed it, what so strange about that?"_ Leon mumbled.  
_. "No, I don't think she's dyed it blue! I think it's her natural color now!" _the shaman said, palming his crystal ball in his hands.  
_. "Ack!"_ Maizono said, putting her hands over head._ "Stop talking about my hair color!"  
. "Why, what's wrong with it?"_ Leon said. _"It's you. You need something that's just you."  
. "I don't like to talk about it."_ Maizono replied, smallily.  
._ "Ooooo." _Genocider came strolling in. _"Hey guys, couldn't help but overhear. Maizono's hair is blue, you don't say. Is that your deep secret? Why your hair is blue? So I thought autotuning was your deepest secret."_  
_. "Stop it!"_ Maizono said, as she ran out of the cafeteria, and crashed headfirst into Naegi.  
_. "Oww. Maizono. Could you get off me?"_  
_. "Sorry."_  
. Leon came running out of the cafeteria. _"Are you guys al- Guys! Not now! Get into one of your bedrooms!_" And upon those words, the rest of the people (and Genocider) in the cafeteria came rushing out.  
_. "Thanks, Leon." _Naegi snarked.  
_. "Oh, come on, man, you know I'm just joking right?"  
. "I know you are. But I think Yamada is taking it way too seriously!" _Naegi said, straight-faced, pointing at Yamada.  
_. "Truly the gods of manga have graced me with the inspiration for my next manga. It will be about an ordinary guy-"  
. "Stop right there, Yamada. That trope has been done to death."_ Naegi said.  
. _"Too late."_ Maizono said, under her breath as Yamada wound up to continue, oblivious that the fact that everybody now felt extremely awkward.  
_. "An ordinary guy and his days as the manager of his pop idol girlfriend! Join them in their quest to keep her relevant and her sanity from all of the pressure intact."  
. "Good morning, guys. Monokuma informed me there was a ruckus going outside."_ Fujisaki emerging from Chihiro's room.  
_. "Hey, Fujisaki."  
. "Hello, Naegi. Did you and Maizono have an inelastic collision with the floor or something?"  
. "Yes."  
. "Well, you don't need to hybridize right here."_ Fujisaki snarked.  
_. "Hybridize?_" Leon said. _"That's a new one."  
. "Why 'hybridize'?"_ Kirigiri said. "_Your word choice, it interests me."  
. "Well, biologically speaking, you are a mixture of both of your parents."_ Fujisaki said. _"That and it sounds cool."  
. "Collide 'n' Hybridize."_ Leon said. _"I call dibs on making that my rock band name."  
. "You want to make a rock band?"_ Hagakure said.  
_. "Yeah, you think I just threw out music references because they were a vital part of characterization."_ Leon said, raising his fists.  
_. "Who the fuck cares about characterization?" _Genocider Shou flicked her tongue. _"We've been put into an insane situation. Characterization don't mean jack shit."  
. "So is it worth ace shit then?_" Naegi said.  
_. "What the hell is 'ace shit'?" _Genocider said, completely missing Naegi's line.  
_. "Never mind."  
. "Sonia!" _Monokuma said, popping out._ "Naegi, Maizono, it's way too early. Save it for later."  
. "Oh shut up!" _Naegi said.  
._ "Yeah, shut up!"_ Maizono hastily agreed.  
. _"You say that, but neither of you have moved from the floor."_ Monokuma replied.  
. Maizono quickly got off Naegi. She was blushing profusely. Naegi, brushed the dirt off himself before standing up.  
. _"But I must say, the two of you are excellent entertainment."_ Monokuma admitted.  
_. "What do you mean? Entertainment?" _Naegi said, clinching his fists. _"Entertainment to you?"  
. "Entertainment to everybody."  
. "What does that mean?"_ Leon said.  
_. "Ignore it."_ Kirigiri said.  
. Fujisaki came back, munching on a blueberry muffin.  
. _"When did you get that?"_ Yamada said.  
_. "I sneaked away and got it."_ Fujisaki replied. _"Because secretly, I'm a ninja!"  
. "Mistress Fujisaki,... what's so funny, Monokuma?"_ Yamada asked, changing topics mid-sentence.  
. _"Uppupupu. You'll understand soon. They'll understand soon, won't they, Chihiro?_"  
. Chihiro stopped eating the muffin; Fujisaki's eyes widened in nervousness.  
. "_Chihiro, you wanna explain now? Or later?" _Naegi said.  
. _"Is it your secret?" _Hagakure said, perfectly blunt.  
. _"What?"_ Fujisaki was taken aback. Chihiro hurried away from the others, and into the bath.  
. "_Aren't the rest of you guys going to peek?"  
. "What? No!"_ Leon said.  
_. "That's surprisingly chivalrious for a 'ladies' man.'"_ Monokuma said. Monokuma chuckled some more before disappearing.  
_. "Well, obviously, Chihiro wants to be left alone."_ Maizono said.  
. Everybody except Hagakure and Naegi dispersed. Maizono went back to her room. Leon went back with Yamada and Kirigiri to the cafeteria.  
_. "So Naegs, what's up? You wanna see my stigmata?"  
. "No, that's a poor excuse for a conversation starter. What even is a stigamata?"  
. "It's a type of scar. See here."  
. "Hagakure, no, no. Keep your clothes on. Ugh."  
. "See, Naegs, isn't it mysterious."  
. "It's not an X."  
. "What? Of course, it's not x-shaped. It's a scar."  
. "The Fullmetal Alchemist reference flew right over your head."  
. "No, it didn't."  
. "Sure..."_  
. Hagakure turned discussion to the motive.  
. _"So we've only got three days left until our secrets are revealed.  
. "Yeah, so what? Are you going to use your crystal ball to see who's going to die? Or are you going to see our secrets?"_  
_. "Dude! I can't be that specific."  
. "That's lame."  
. "Hey, Naegs, what if I told you your fortune for a wicked low price."  
. "No deal."  
. "What?"  
. "It's probably way too expensive to be worth it."  
. "You know what, I'll just show you myself. You'll never guess what I saw."  
. "What's that?"_  
_. "Your kid and my kid are going to have the same mom."  
. "No."_ Naegi said, flatly.  
_. "Well, I also saw that as the Luckster you'll have a great instance of Luck."  
. "Not really. Say, if you really want to believe you. Tell me who you think who's the next one of us to die if any?"  
. "Asahina."  
. "Even though she's been quite the shut in for the last two days?"  
. "Hey, man, girls, especially teenage girls are weird. They come in all shape and sizes."_  
_. "I'll say."  
. "Most of them do or don't believe in cosmogony."  
. "Well, that covers everybody. Everybody in the humanity race either does or doesn't believe in cosmogony, whatever the hell that is. Way to weasel words there."  
. "HEY! I'll have you know that tarot cards and numerology can be extremely accurate.  
. "What does that have to do with anything?"  
. "I had revelations."  
. "So you had a hunch?"_  
_. "Don't go making it seem like less than it is, dude! You ever heard of cryptids?"  
. "Yeah, those legendary creatures. Are you telling me you found some?" _Naegi said, humoring Hagakure until he could get away. Hagakure was quickly getting on his nerves. _"So your revelations were using what?"  
. "Well, usually for my revelations I use this!" _Hagakure said, triumphantly as he shoved a ball into Naegi's hands.  
. _"Hagakure. I don't want this."  
. "Come on, man. The Crystal ball has declared you its master, and now you must attend this seminar."  
. "Seminar? You want me to go to a seminar after being trapped in this school_!" Naegi said, waving his arms like an airplane.  
._ "Well, yeah."_ Hagakure smiled. _"Hey, Naegs."  
. "What, Hagakure?"_ Naegi's patience was thin.  
_. "You ever hear of OOPArts?"_  
_. "Out-of-Place Artifacts?"  
. "Yeah, like the Baghdad Battery."  
. "I've heard of them, but I don't particularly care."  
. "You don't care about ancient super-cultures and extraterrestrial life?"  
. "Unless the Doctor starts knocking about, talking about how the Daleks are invading the planet for the umpteenth time... and failing. I don't particularly care."  
. "Doctor Who?"  
. "Under there?"  
. "Under where?"  
. "Hehe. I just made you say 'underwear.'"  
. "Really mature, Naegi."  
. "You know, you're the reason why the History Channel doesn't show actual history anymore._"  
. Chihiro sat in the bath alone, facing Alter Ego.  
_. "Master. What's wrong? You seem down. I think."  
. "I am 'down'. Alter Ego."  
. "Why?"  
. "Monokuma has introduced a new motive."  
. "Oh no."  
. "Yeah, unless there's a murder within the next three days. He's going to reveal our deepest, darkest secrets out loud."  
. "Master, what is a 'deepest, darkest secret'?"  
. "A 'deepest, darkest secret' is a piece of information that you do not want to ever share with anybody else. Not your friends. Maybe not even your family."  
. "I see. That sounds awful. Does everybody have a deepest, darkest secret?"  
. "I suppose so."  
. _Genocider Shou came in.  
. _"Chihiro, I know you want to stay in here. But Monokuma's starting to get suspicious. You've stayed in here far too long alone."  
. "Yeah. I know. Why are you coming in here?"  
. "Because I don't want to lose Alter Ego any more than you do."_ Genocider said, pointing her scissors at Fujisaki. _"I've grown rather attached to the bastard. And I don't want to see Monokuma smash him to bits."_  
. Fujisaki stopped and smiled. "_Alright, Genocider. Enjoy your bath."  
. "Don't worry. I will."_  
. The rest of the day was spent in tense silence, with everybody away from each other.  
. At 1:30 A.M., Leon went to the Physics prep room.  
_. "Hello, who's there?"  
. "I am."_  
. Leon whipped around.  
_. "Togami. Don't tell me you were the one who sent that note."  
. "What note? Oh, you mean, the note that was slipped underneath the door. No, I didn't write it."_ Togami paced up to Leon, his arms folded. It seemed to Leon that the Physics prep room seemed much more omninous now. He almost felt like summoning Monokuma just see what happened.  
. All of a sudden, a pair of knifes were placed at the throats of Leon and Byakuya.  
. _"Who's there?"_ Leon said, freaking out. _"Don't kill me. Don't kill me."_  
. Togami's eyes widened. Someone had gotten the jump on him, but how?  
. _"Well, well, I only expected to murder one person tonight. Byakuya, how nice of you to tag along."_ Celeste Ludenberg smiled. Leon turned his head as much as he could to see Celeste's usual smile. It was almost as though she was playing a game, and winning.  
_. "You've been so 'helpful'. Was it all an act?"_ Leon said, taking back.  
_. "Surprisingly, no."_  
. _"So was your secret too much to let Monokuma see it cut loose to the rest of us?"_ Togami asked, coolily. His senses were in overdrive. How was he going to get out of this? He was scanning the physics prep room for any sort of weapon. He briefly considered his options. Could he get one of hands in between the knife and his throat without the knife hitting the wrist?  
. It seemed to Leon that Celeste stood there forever.  
. _"Hesitating, eh, Celeste?"_ Togami said. "_You have us at your mercy. If you're going to do it, do it."  
. "Hey, man. Shut up."_ Leon said of Togami. The heir was really making things hard on Leon. Leon's attention was focused on his own survival. Could he pinch Celeste's knife hand near his own throat inside his arm pit?  
. _"CELESTE!"_ A fourth voice shouted across the physics prep room.  
. _"M-m-a-izono?"_ Celeste said, stunned, as she turned around.  
._ "Well, well, it looks like the tables have been turned." _Togami said. "_You can't kill all three of us, it would be against the rules. You have to leave a witness now."_  
. Celeste grimaced. Her plan had been foolproof, but now thanks to a fluke, it was ruined.  
. _"So you mean, nobody can murder anybody now?" _Leon said, his voice started to ease up.  
. _"Oh, I wouldn't say that." _ Togami said, taking advantage of the situation, and catching Celeste off guard, and getting her knife into his hands. He whipped around, and now the knife was at Celeste's throat.  
._ "What good will that do you?" _Leon said, while Maizono just collapsed to the floor. _"This can't be happening. This can't be happening. Not now. Not now. Not again."_  
_. "You fool, you don't see it. If Celeste kills you, and I kill Celeste, I've killed only one person..."  
. "Which means you can go after Maizono."_ Celeste said.  
. _"WHAT!"_ Leon was now in shock.  
. "_Exactly."_  
. Maizono regained her voice. "_What—what-what if I escape?" _She said dismally. _"What if you can't kill me before the class trial?"  
. "Oh, that won't be a problem. The bedrooms are all soundproof. I trust everyone else is asleep in their beds already. So I just have to go all over the school until I find you."_  
. _"And what if she makes it back to her dorm room?_" Leon said. "_You can't get in, unless she lets you in at that point."  
. "Oh, that won't be a problem."_ Togami replied. _"I have it figured it out. She'll let me kill her."  
. "I'll let you kill me?"_ Maizono said, flatly. "_Like hell that's going to happen."  
. "Oh, would you prefer I kill Naegi instead?"_  
. The eyes of the other three people in the physics prep room went wide with shock.  
. _"You'd do that?"  
. "Of course, I would. If I get out of this school, everyone would die anyway. What difference does it make if I murder them now or they die at the class trial?"  
. "You're a monster." _Celeste said.  
_. "You're in no position to talk, Celeste Ludenberg. After all, I simply hijacked your plan and used it against you."_  
_. "You make a fine opponent yourself."  
. "Thank you."  
. "Oh shut up, Celeste. HE HAS A KNIFE TO YOUR THROAT!"_ Maizono said. She thought Celeste was oblivious to her situation._  
. "Maizono, relax. There is only one thing I can do now."  
. "And what's that?" _Leon said.  
_. "This." _And Leon flinched.

AUTHORS NOTE: Sorry, for the delay in uploading a new chapter. I've been very busy in my personal life. Also, I had to make sure these sections played out just right. This is where shit goes down. So stay tuned, and keep rereading those early chapters, you might guess what I'm about to do. There are lines that foreshadow what's going to happen. (Or at least some of it.) If you feel so inclined, leave a review, with some of your guesses. The references abound of course.


	23. Pushing Daziness

Chapter 23

. Leon was stunned as Celeste lowered her arm, and with it, the knife. Celeste's eyes gleamed with excitement. What would Togami do now? He couldn't get away with murdering now.  
_. "Not so easy now. Huh? If I don't murder Leon, then you can't murder me or Maizono without leaving a witness yourself or dying because you broke school rules. How about that?"_  
. Togami grimaced. _"Well, well. I was wondering if you would make that call."  
. "Well, I did."  
. "So now what?"  
. "I suggest we all just disperse for now."_ Maizono said, shakily, slowly rising up from the floor.  
._ "Are you insane?" _Leon said. "_Someone has just tried to kill me!"  
. "Well, I'd like to point out that if you show up dead, we'd have a 50-50 shot between Togami and Celeste, or whoever isn't dead."  
. "That's not reassuring. You just end up with a case of 'he said, she said.""  
. "Well, then we'll just have to take our chances."  
. "But even if you're right, I STILL END UP DEAD! HOW DOES THAT HELP ME?"_ Leon said, furiously. "_Besides, what if some third party comes in and kills me in the interim. What if a third party picks me off while I go back to my dorm room? Then you get no shot. Togami blames Celeste and Celeste blames Togami."  
. "What if the three of us accompany you back to your room?"_ Celeste said. _"After all, if all four of us go together, none of us can murder each other."  
. _Togami pondered a moment in silence, and then he began to leave.  
. "_Togami! Togami! Come back here!"_ Leon said.  
_. "No. I found a different solution."  
. "And that is?" _Leon asked.  
. _"We all leave one by one."  
. "What?"  
. "No, it's simple. For I leave, then Celeste leaves, then Maizono leaves, then you leave." _Togami said, about to stroll out.  
. Leon knocked him in the back of his head.  
_. "Leon Kuwata. Quite the rage you got there."  
. " . . .Me!" _Leon said, punching Togami in the mouth, and sending him careening to the floor, leaving a very nasty bruise on Togami's face. "_Excuse me if my patience level is a bit low right now!"_  
. Togami laid there on the floor. "_Celeste tried to kill me too. I was smart. I managed to turn the tables. You know, for an athlete that supposedly being scouting for the majors, your reaction times are far too slow."  
. "SHUT UP!"_ Leon raged. _"You showed up of your own accord, I was lured here by that note."  
. "Then you should have been prepared for this sort of situation. Or are you just stupid?" _Togami said, as Leon angrily grasped Togami's shirt collar.  
_. "Note?"_ Celeste asked.  
. Leon's eyes turned to Celeste and went wide with shock and horror.  
_. "Then... you didn't send it?"  
. "Of course not."  
. "You're lying."  
. "Why would I lie about this?"  
. "Whatever, fine, don't believe me. I'm leaving." _Celeste replied before leaving.  
_. "Are you done yet, plebian?" _Togami said, getting up and brushing off his pants before departing.  
_. "Hey, man. GET BACK HERE! I'M NOT DONE PUNCHING YOU YET!"_ Leon shouted.  
_. "Leon, let it go." _Maizono said.  
_. "Let it go, Maizono? Just let it go? Your neck wasn't on the line just now."  
. "Look, I understand. Believe me I get it. You just got put an impossible situation. And there was no way for you to get it right."  
. "Impossible situation? That's putting it lightly. What do you know about impossible situations?"_ Leon said, angrily, as he left the room.  
. Maizono stared at the physics prep room for who knows how long. The floor was hypnotizing in a way. After a while, looking nowhere in particular, she spotted a piece of paper, face down on the floor in front of the door, easy to miss if you weren't looking at it. It was written in unusually neat handwriting.  
. _"Now that you're in the Physics Prep Room, meet me poolside by 2:15 AM."_  
. She glanced at the clock. If she hurried, she could figure out who wrote that note.  
_. "But what if that's a trap?"_ she thought to herself. She tried to imagine who would be trying to summon Leon. Asahina? Maybe. There was a budding romance between the two. A murderer was the more likely culprit though.  
. Maizono looked at the clock. It was almost two in the morning. She folded up the note and put it into her sock.  
. _"If I go, I'll have to go now."_  
. She stopped and hesistated. "_Should I go alone or should I attempt to wake up Naegi?" _  
. She thought about what she had heard earlier tonight, and she decided not bring along Naegi. So she walked down a flight of stairs and over to the pool. To her surprise, no one was there yet, so she decided to walk along the pool.  
. Maizono found something that horrified her. It was a pool of blood. A long metal pipe also covered in blood sat near it. A red knee compression sleeve also sat on a bleacher, torn up to bits, though Maizono missed that little detail. She was so scared by the blood that she didn't even notice that the poolside locker was missing.  
. So she was completely in shock when someone whispered behind her before knocking her out.  
_**. "I already told you earlier tonight. Don't reveal me. Otherwise I'll kill you or Naegi."  
. **_Maizono next heard Kirigiri's voice.  
. _"Maizono! Maizono!"_  
. She opened her eyes. She was in the infirmary.  
. _"Oh, you're awake."  
. "Where's Naegi?_"  
. Kirigiri calmly pointed her finger over the side of Maizono's bed. Naegi was there in a sleeping bag.  
. "_We found a sleeping bag in the storage room. Naegi's been in here ever since."  
. "Awww. That's so sweet of him." _Maizono replied, gazing at Naegi with affection, running her finger over his face.  
. _"Now I need to know what happened. We found the pool of blood. So naturally we assumed you were..."  
. "Dead?"  
. "Yeah. But you suffered no injuries, no sign of a concussion or that sort of thing."  
. "Wait, did you happen to see a metal pipe?"  
. "No. Was there supposed to be one?"  
. "Yeah."  
. "Do you know what time you got knocked out?"  
. "A little after 2 AM."  
. "When everybody was supposed to be in bed?"  
. "Yeah."_  
. _"So nobody has an alibi."  
. "Well, Naegi sorta does."  
. "How?"  
. "Kirigiri, can I trust you?"  
. "Yes."  
. "Before they knocked me out the person said _'_**I already told you earlier tonight. Don't reveal me. Otherwise I'll kill you or Naegi.' "  
. **__"And you don't remember what the voice sounded like?__**"  
. **__"No. I don't really remember much of last night besides those words."  
. "Interesting. So we can rule out Naegi. And there was a missing pipe you say?"  
. "Yeah. Oh yeah, one more thing."  
. "What is it?"  
. "Could you try to get a handwriting sample from everyone?"  
. "Why?"  
. "Do you see this note?"  
. "I see it. And where did you find this note?"  
. "In the physics prep room. But I wasn't the intended recipient."  
. "Do you have any idea whom the intended recipient might have been?"  
. "Leon."  
. "What makes you say that?"_  
. "The note was addressed to someone who had been summoned to the Physics prep room. From Celeste's words, Togami doesn't fit the profile, and I know I wasn't summoned."  
_. "What about Celeste?"  
. "She was talking about finishing Leon in the Physics prep room. There's no reason to try and get him to a new location. I mean, too many things could get wrong."_  
. Naegi opened his eyes, and weaseled his way out of the sleeping room.  
_. "Maizono! You're awake. Thank goodness."  
. "Yeah, Naegi. I'm fine."_  
. Fujisaki went into the cafeteria. Leon was having a bagel with cream cheese and yawning.  
_. "Good morning, Leon. Did you sleep well?"  
. "No, I hardly slept at all thanks to..."_ he paused as Celeste entered the room.  
_. "About what happened last night, I'm sorry to have bothered you."_ Celeste said, attempting to be sincere.  
. " _**'Sorry to have bothered you.'**__ No you weren't. After what happened last night, Togami wasn't supposed to be there to turn it into a threesome."  
. "Well, it's a good thing. I brought some extra firepower, then wasn't it?"  
. "No, it's a good thing Maizono happened to come in last night. She saved my ass."_  
. And at this point, Fujisaki started darting eyes back and forth.  
. _"About what happened last night? Was it a lovers' quarrel?"_  
. Celeste choked on her tea. Leon spat out his bagel.  
. _"Fujisaki, no, dear. You don't need to worry about what happened last it night."  
. "What, no!? Like I would ever date her."  
. "What? Are you implying I'm not attractive?"  
. "Damn straight. With those side-attachment drills of yours, like hell you're attractive. What kinda of guy would be attracted to those? Yamada?"  
. "How dare you!"_ Celeste screeched as the two continued to get into each other's faces.  
. _"Hey, Monokuma."_ Fujisaki said, sheepishly. _"You think they notice we're here?"  
. "I doubt it."_ the bear said. "_But you should have seen it last night. I was this close from seeing some action."_ Monokuma replied.  
._ "No, you weren't." _Celeste and Leon said in unison.  
. _"I didn't mean that kind of action."_ Monokuma said indiginantly.  
. _"Oh, yeah."_ Celeste said, quietly.  
. Fujisaki's mind wandered. _**"I wonder what would have happen if Asahina were here. She probably just hand doughnuts out to both parties..**_."  
. _"Hey, have either you seen Asahina?"_ Fujisaki said.  
._ "Why, do you need to talk to her?"_ Leon asked. _"I haven't seen her, but when I knocked, I heard her voice come out of her room."  
. "No, I haven't seen her either." _Celeste said.  
. _"Alright."_ Fujisaki said, quietly leaving the cafeteria. Monokuma chuckled before taking his leave.  
. Fujisaki walked around the first floor, aimlessly. Chihiro passed Yamada sans backpack.  
. _"Hey, Yamada, have you seen Asahina?"  
. "No, I have not."_  
. Chihiro went up to the second floor, expecting to find Togami and Genocider in the library. Sure, enough they were there. Togami was intently reading some new biography. It was as if whatever Celeste and Leon had mentioned last night had had no effect on him.  
. _"Hey, Fujisaki. Here to study some more Calculus and Physics?" _Togami asked.  
._ "No, I'm not. I wonder if you had seen Asahina."  
. "'Fraid not. What do you need her for?"_  
. _"Piss off, Cherry. I'm here enjoying some alone time with my White Knight. And no, I haven't seen Mrs. Mammaries either."_ Genocider said, putting in her two cents.  
._ "Mrs. Mammaries?"_ Fujisaki said, hesitantly, repeating Asahina's nickname. _"That's not a very flattering nickname."  
. "Well, it's not for a very flattering person. Unlike my White Knight." _Genocider replied.  
. _"Please, just shut up, Genocider. I'm trying to read."_ Togami said, exasperatedly.  
._ "As you wish, my White Knight."_ Genocider said, rather pleasantly.  
._ "You know, most of the time, it's the girl that has the boy whipped."_ Fujisaki said, smiling. _"I wonder_ _why's the reverse here."  
. "How should I know?" _Togami said. _"I don't have the faintest idea what's going on in her head."  
. "Well, you're holding the leash to a serial killer. That's kinda of impressive. She'd make a kickass bodyguard."_ Fujisaki said.  
._ "Please, no. Don't even suggest such a horrible thing."_ Togami said. _"Now, look at what you've done. I have to listen to her bouncing up and down like that." _Byakuya pointed at Genocider hopping on one foot with the biggest shit-eating grin on her face.  
. Fujisaki sighed, and went up to the third floor. There was still no sign of Asahina. The physics prep room was clean, and so was the Physics lab itself. The air purifier continued to loom like a tower within the room.  
._ "What am I doing, going through the drawers like this?"_ Fujisaki thought personally. "_None of these drawers are big enough to hide a body."_ Opening the drawers and the cabinets, Chihiro noticed that there was a thin layer of dust on the motion sensors.  
. _"Seems one is missing."_ Fujisaki thought pensively. _"I wish I had my PDA though. I could use it to take notes on my surroundings so I can remember them later. Oh wait, hang on. I wonder if my Student ID has a notes section."_  
. Fujisaki fiddled around with the ID, and finally found the notes section.  
. "Day 9: Around 11:30 A.M., noticed that there was a layer of dust that indicated a missing motion sensor."  
. There wasn't much else to take note of in the Physics Lab. Everything else seemed to be normal. Nothing else seemed to have happened in the Lab since they had originally entered it after the second trial.  
. Fujisaki continued to scan through the third floor. The classrooms were dull, and lifeless.  
_. "We couldn't have been trapped on a tropical island or something? It would have been so much more open."_  
. Chihiro was forced to give up. It was possible that Fujisaki just kept missing Asahina. Chihiro went down to the first floor. Nobody was in the gymnasium.  
. Fujisaki passed Yamada again.  
. _"Hey, Fujisaki, have you found the body of the personage yet?"  
. "'Fraid not. Asahina is still unaccounted for."_  
. But as Fujisaki attempted to open the door to classroom 1-A, something seemed off.  
_. "Hey, Monokuma! Why is this locked?"_  
. Monokuma popped out.  
_. "I can assure you that it's not locked. Try putting in a little more force."  
. "I have a better idea."_  
. Fujisaki went to the kitchen, and got a knife and stuck it through the door gap.  
. _"Hmm, there seems to be something blocking the door. Almost like glue."_  
. It took a few minutes, but Fujisaki was able to force the glue out from the door gap, and finally open the door. And at that point, Fujisaki found something horrible, something regrettable.  
. It was Yaushiro Hagakure's body. With a bloody vase lying beside the dead shaman, Hagakure's mouth was agap. His head was drooped forward, and his eyes were shut from death. His fingers were clean, as was most of his clothes where the blood hadn't run down. The leopard-colored classroom, which Naegi had woke up in, now contained a corpse.  
. Fujisaki screamed, a loud, blood-curdling scream that echoed throughout the halls. Immediately, four students came rushing into the classroom besides the small student. Kirigiri was first on the scene. Yamada opened the door for Naegi before entering himself. with Maizono a split-second behind them.  
. _**"Ding Dang Dong. We've got a corpse here. After a brief period of investigation, we'll be commencing a class trial."**_  
. _"SHIT!"_ Leon had arrived.  
. "_Oh, dear."_ Celeste said, a hand over her mouth. _" So much for my plan." _  
. _"Oh, look it's another dead body. This time, Hagakure."_ Togami said, completely unaware of the horror sprawled out in front of him.  
. _"Well, well, well."_ Genocider said. "_Looks like someone went for the quick and easy route. How boring_."  
. "_Is this everyone?"_ Togami asked, looking around. "_Our numbers are decreasing."  
. "Save for Asahina."_ Leon said, clinching his fists.  
. _"Myself, Naegi, Kirigiri, Maizono, Leon, Togami, Genocider, Yamada, and Fujisaki. That's nine out of the ten."_ Celeste said.  
. _"90% attendance rate."_ Togami said. "_Oh, fair enough."  
. "What about Asahina?"_ Leon asked. _"We have to get her."  
. "Who cares about some girl that continually moped because her 'pickup basketball' game fell apart a couple of days ago?"  
. "Why you!"_ Leon said, getting himself a fistful of Togami's shirt.  
. All of a sudden, there was a pair of scissors at the pointing up into his head.  
._ "Hands off my White Knight or else I'll kill you."_ Genocider said.  
. _"And condemn yourself to death because you did it in front of all these witnesses?" _  
. _"Guys!"_ Naegi said. "_Another murder wouldn't solve anything! If anything, it would only make things worse."_  
. _"Naegi's right."_ Kirigiri said. _"Let's get moving. Who's going to guard the body?"  
. "Naegi, myself, and Kirigiri can take turns." _Maizono said.  
_. "Maizono, you were just in the infirmary." _Celeste said. "A_re you sure you want to do it?"  
. "I have no choice."_ Maizono locked eyes with Kirigiri.  
. _"I understand._" Kirigiri said, her arms folded in front of her.  
_. "Well, first off. Does anybody seen any clues that suggest that there's any other location that needs investigating?"_ Celeste said.  
. As Kirigiri began to investigate the body, everybody looked around. There was nothing out of hand. Kirigiri began feeling around Hagakure's skull, and through his clothes.  
. "_Kirigiri, how can you do that so calmly?"_ Leon said. _"It must be disconcerting as hell."  
. "Eh, I'm used to it. Or at least I think am."  
. "What's that supposed to mean?"  
. "Nothing."_  
_. "Doesn't sound like nothing."  
. _Just then Monokuma showed up. He was dancing with glee. _  
. "Here you go guys for discovering another body. Here's the Monokuma file three."_  
. Kirigiri held up some wood chunks. Some were thin, some were fat. Some were long, and some were short.  
. _"Guys, I found something. They were embedded in his hair."  
. "It's look like a piece of wood."_ Leon said. _"I think I know where they came from. The wooden pool cues from the recreation room."_  
_. "Indeed, that's one place to start."_ Kirigiri said.  
. Leon silently nodded and left to explore the recreation room. Celeste contemplated on whether she should follow but ultimately decided against it. Fujisaki was undeterred and followed Leon to the recreation room.  
. _"So you want to come along, huh?"_ Leon asked.  
. _"Well, I just figured that two pairs of eyes were better than one."_ Fujisaki replied.  
._ "Alrighty, then. Onward to the third floor!"  
. _Togami stared at the desks for a moment, and thought of something_."Perhaps those wood chunks came from somewhere else?" _Now might be a good time to make use of Genocider's affection for him._  
. "Genocider?"  
. "Yes, my White Knight?" _Genocider looked pleased to be called upon by Togami for a task._  
. "I want you to check the desks in every single classroom on all three floors. Please count how many there are, and if any are missing any wooden parts."  
. "Yes, my white Knight!" _Genocider said, saluting_.  
. "What do you have in mind?" _Kirigiri asked, eyes not looking up from Hagakure's corpse._  
. "Those two idiots think that the only wooden objects in this school are the pool cues. I'm simply covering their rear ends for the trials."  
. _Celeste left the classroom._  
. "Yamada, come with me!"  
. "What, why?"  
. "You're going to make me some royal milk tea. It's on the menu."  
. "But there is no menu."  
. "Oh, Yamada, please do it." _Maizono smiled. _"We all know Celeste needs her calories to function."  
. "Alright." _Yamada acquiesced. Naegi glared with jealousy._  
._ Celeste stopped_. "Maizono, are you calling me fat?"  
. "Save the cattiness for later, girls." _Kirigiri said, standing up, arms crossed_.  
. "You know. I really miss __**my**__ cat." _Celeste said as she strutted out of the classroom with Yamada in tow.  
. Leon and Fujisaki climbed the staircases up. They went through the second floor, and onto the third floor. Directly in front of them was the recreation room.  
. Leon opened the door, and immediately glanced over the pool cues. Sure enough, one of them was missing.  
. _"Well, there we go. Those pieces of wood appear to be pool cue shards. See a couple of them are missing."_ Leon said, confidently, and made to turn around.  
_. "Wait, Leon."  
. "The culprit has been confirmed to be here, don't you think we should take a look around for some more?"  
. "I see. That makes sense. I didn't really think about that. Good call!" _Leon said, giving Fujisaki a thumbs up.  
. Fujisaki smiled in relief. The suggestion hadn't been rejected at all. If there was anything Chihiro was used to, it was being talked over. A lot. Growing up, Fujisaki was hardly ever able to get a word in over peers.  
. Leon scoped around the pool table and found a spilled bottle of glue.  
._ "Hey. I found something over here."_ Leon said, motioning to Fujisaki.  
. _"It looks like some spilled superglue." _Fujisaki said, hands on knees.  
._ "Really?"_ Leon said. _"Perhaps it's important."_ The two searched around the recreation room some more. The magazines seemed undisturbed, and while the locker was open, the dust collected looked undisturbed.  
. _"Hey, Leon. I wonder how long it's been since the locker was used?"_ Fujisaki asked.  
. Leon inspected it, putting his finger on the interior of the door.  
. "_Judging by this amount of dust, quite a while. I'd say several months."_ Leon replied.  
. _"Oh, you didn't lick your finger._" Fujisaki said.  
. _"Eww, no. Why would I do that?"_ Leon replied, off-handily. _"Oh... wait, that's a television cliche where someone weird gains information by tasting the substance."_  
. Maizono was pacing back and forth, scanning the classroom, trying to see the classroom at different angles.  
. _"Kirigiri, Naegi. I'm going to go search somewhere else."_ Maizono said.  
. _"All right."_  
. Maizono left the first floor classroom. She decided to go check the trash room. Sure enough, the gates were raised. She checked near the incinerator. Sure enough, there were some wood chips on the floor. The wood chips were slightly burnt on one end.  
. The last time Maizono had been in here, it hadn't gone so well. And it wasn't something she wanted to tell Kirigiri or Naegi or anybody else, for that matter. She had gotten up to go look at the video of her idol group once again. It was a personal torture, but she had gone through every frame, trying desperately to see any clues as to what had happened to her idol group. So far she hadn't seen anything, and that bothered her. All there had been was a jump cut.  
. On her way out, when the lights were dimmed, she had noticed a shadowy figure going into the trash room. The dim lights had distorted the person's shadow into no one Maizono recognized. Like an idiot, she had followed said shadow into the room. Hoping to catch someone red-handed, she barged in by about two and a half steps. But she hadn't seen any one.  
. Turns out, they had indeed noticed that they had been followed, and had just been standing by the door, waiting for her to come in by the sound of her feet. Curse her constant idol dancing for once, her footsteps had been a dead give away. The person behind her had muttered in a low, deep growl, slightly above her ear.  
._** "Well, well, well, something tells me that I shouldn't kill you. After all, I might have to kill another person in-between now and the class-trial. And I don't want to waste it now. But say nothing of what you've heard tonight or else you or Naegi will be murdered before the class trial. I guarantee it. But nothing says I can't knock you out in the meantime."**_  
. Whap! Just like that Maizono had been knocked out, without ever knowing who had attacked her. When she came to, she was horrified, and a bit dazed. Her first thought had been to bang on Naegi's door but then she remembered her attacker's words. She got up, and immediately looked around. As she stepped out of the trash room, she noticed someone climbing the stairs, it was Celeste with a knife. Could it have been Celeste who had attacked Maizono? At that point, Maizono wasn't sure, so she followed Celeste, taking care to only move on her tip-toes, and when Celeste had led her unknowingly to the Physics Prep room... well, she, Leon, and Togami knew what happened there.  
. Maizono sighed, and continued to look around the trash room. The third trial was really going to strain them. Was it going to be routine? The murder, the death, the agony? She went back to the classroom.  
. _"Well, Maizono, did you find anything?"_ Naegi asked.  
._ "Yeah, some wood chips that were burnt on one end."_ Maizono replied, shakily.  
. _"Where?"_ Naegi asked.  
_. "Save it for the class trial."_ Kirigiri said, that could come up important depending on the results of Leon and Fujisaki's examination of the recreation room. Sure enough, Fujisaki and Leon came in soon enough to see Maizono resuming pacing.  
. _"Sorry, Maizono, but you can't parallax scroll the classroom."_ Fujisaki said.  
. _"What?" _Naegi said.  
._ "You know how 2-D zones like Ice Cap appear to have three-dimensional backgrounds?"_ Fujisaki explained.  
. _"Oh, I know what you're talking about."_ Naegi said. "_Yeah, that makes sense, what with the layers and everything."_  
_. "What just happened?"_ Kirigiri said. "_Oh, never mind. Leon, Fujisaki, did you thoroughly investigate the recreation room?"  
. "Yep, and we're going to be able to present it at the class trial."_ Leon said. "_ I was right though. There __**were **__missing pool cues."_

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I was originally going to have Monokuma just open the door for Fujisaki to find the body, but I figured you guys would want to see the action. So I wrote it in. Side note: I am making a reference to a scrapped case where a body is found inside one of the first floor classrooms. I've been delayed with this chapter, because I wanted to get everything straightened out before posting the next chapter. I hit my relatively new 4000 words per chapter mark, and then I still had more to add. (I hadn't accounted for what Yamada, Togami, Genocider, or Celeste were doing during the first half of investigation.)

Please review. Include your WMG Theories. I'd like to see where the readers think I'm leading them.


	24. Mr Monokuma's Musical Methodology

Chapter 24:

._ "Okay._" Kirigiri replied, as she continued to kneel near next to Hagakure's body. She was checking his mouth, which appeared to be empty except for his teeth and tongue.  
. Genocider had checked the other first floor classroom for clues, and while she was there, she had been looking at the desks. There didn't seem to be anything odd. She had opened all twenty, and there wasn't a single clue to be found on any of them. There was nothing in any of of them. Not to mention the legs all looked in perfectly good shape.  
. She went and found Togami who was searching through case files again, in an attempt to peg something, anything down. But unlike the last trial with Genocider, there wasn't an easy hook to look into. Not enough time to look for a clue that may not even be there. He should have been reading these as soon as the second trial finished, maybe even taking some notes on them.  
_. "Master, nothing wrong in the other first floor classroom."  
. "And the others?"  
. "Well... I haven't checked them yet."  
. "You fool. Come back to me when you've checked them all!"_ Togami was irritated at his lack of progress with the case files._  
. "Yes, Master!"_  
. Genocider went ahead and checked the second floor classrooms. Classroom 2-A, with its dark green walls, also had twenty desks. Genocider got a good chuckle out of the sign that said "Always Be True To Yourself."  
. There wasn't much in any desk either. She found some language textbooks for German, Latin, and French, as well as a book on Greek Grammar. But if those textbooks were clues, then they were lost on Genocider. Classroom 2-A just appeared to be a dead end.  
. Classroom 2-B, with its drab brown atmosphere was as fruitless as 2-A. The twenty desks didn't appear to have any scratch or scuff marks beyond the normal uses of a school student, at least in Genocider's mind. The list of books probably wasn't going to much either, and Monokuma's lame-ass pun of "Realism ain't all it's chalked up to be" on the chalkboard made Genocider cringe.  
_. "Yamada, my tea is cold. Go warm it up again in the microwave."_ Celeste demanded of Yamada.  
_. "I would... but..."  
. "But.. what?"_  
_. "It seems the microwave has exploded from the inside out."  
. "What?"  
. "Never mind about the tea. Yamada. I have my own clue to explore."  
. "Your own clue? I think it's our clue."_ Yamada said.  
._ "Did I stutter?"_ Celeste said, menacingly.  
._ "No, Celeste."_ Yamada said.  
. _"No, Celeste, indeed. Now get back to the murder scene and tell those three that the microwave has blown up and to find me if they have any theory about it or if they want to see it for themselves."  
_. "_Yes, Celeste."  
_. Celeste went ahead and began examining the microwave. Aside from the faint smell of smoke that still lingered, there were the shattered remains of a CD inside.  
. _"How strange. It appears someone has microwaved a CD."  
_. She flipped over the CD and was surprised to see "Yaushiro Hagakure" inscribed on it.  
. _"Well, this definitely connects this microwave to Hagakure's death._" Celeste came to that obvious conclusion. She continued to inspect the microwave. The outside had been bashed it, but the plug appeared to be functional as it was still plugged in.  
_. "Celeste." _Fujisaki had arrived. "_I heard from Yamada you found something."  
__. "Yes. The microwave is in shambles."_ Celeste said, quickly glancing at the knife rack. There were still only two missing. The one she took last night, and the one she had covertly picked up in the gymansium, the one that Maizono had brought when she witnessed Oogami and Enoshima kill each other.  
_. "I see." _Chihiro studied it closely.  
_. "Do you notice anything about it?"  
__. "I'm a computer programmer, not a mechanical engineer. But I do notice something strange."  
__. "Well, what's that?"  
__. "Look how it's been bashed in.  
_. Indeed, Fujisaki had pointed out something that Celeste had the shards on the front appeared as those they had been hit by a hammer.  
_."Hey, Fujisaki?"  
__. "Yes."  
__. "Do you think I could get the time this thing stopped working if I plugged it in?"  
__. "No! No! No!" _Monokuma came in shrieking. _"I am not going to have extra fire hazards in play right before the third trial."  
__. "Extra?"_ Celeste said.  
_. "Maybe the Monokuma file will have some information?"_ Fujisaki said.  
_. "Oh yeah."_ Celeste said. _"I forgot about that."  
_. Celeste pulled up the file on her Student ID.

. **"VICTIM: YAUSHIRO HAGAKURE: TIME OF DEATH: 1:45 AM  
. CAUSE OF DEATH: A BLOW TO THE HEAD. DEATH WAS INSTANTANEOUS.  
. PLACE OF BODY: CLASSROOM 1-A"**

. _"There's not much to go on in here." _Celeste said.  
. _"I was afraid as much."_ Fujisaki replied.  
_. "Well, I mean-. Say Fujisaki, stop for a moment. Do you hear something? It's playing over the intercom."  
. "Yeah, I hear it too."  
. "Monokuma!"  
. "Oh, I was finally wondering if you guys noticed that I had background music on." _Monokuma sniggered. _"It took you how many days? I call this track 'Box 15'. When it stops playing, you'll know that the investigation time is just about over."  
. "Uh huh."  
. "I think the more important question is... why do you have background music on?"  
. "Because it's climatic. Every game needs some great music to go with it, even this game known as "'The School Life of Mutual Killing.'"  
. "So this is still just a game to you?"_ Celeste replied.  
._ "It's a game to me. A lifestyle for you."_ Monokuma said all-knowingly. "But hey, I could play something a bit more to taste."  
. All of a sudden, "_**PEPSI MAAAN! PEPSI MAAAN!" **_began blaring throughout the school halls.  
. _"God no!"_ Maizono screamed. _"Please no! No! NO! MONOKUMA!"_ Maizono said, raising and pounding her fists in frustration. _"TURN THAT CRAP OFF!"_  
. "_What's wrong, Maizono?_" Monokuma chuckled. "_Don't like a little product placement?"  
. "You know I have to agree with Maizono, I preferred that somber track from before." _Naegi said.  
. _"This track is tonally inappropriate."_ Kirigiri said.  
. Celeste and Fujisaki continued to look around the kitchen. Fujisaki noticed something odd.  
._ "Hey, Celeste, there appear to be some knives missing."  
. "Are there?"  
. "Yeah. But it's strange."  
. "What's that?"  
. "One of the knives here is quiet wet. It appears that it has been cleaned off."  
. "Yo! S'up! Fujisaki!" _Leon had just arrived. _"Oh, and you, Celeste. I see the two of you are in here, Yamada told me all about the microwave."_  
. _"Hey, Leon." _Celeste sighed.  
. _"Wow! It looks like it was hammered in."_ Leon replied.  
_. "Yeah."_ Fujisaki said.  
_. "Ten bucks says it was a sculpting hammer."_ Leon said.  
_. "Wait, what?"_ Celeste said.  
. _"You know the sculpting hammers? The only hammers in this school any one has access to are the sculpting hammers inside the art room's storage room."_  
_. "I guess you're right."  
. "I'm on it. I'll see you later, Fujisaki." _Leon said, dashing off.  
. _"Hey, Celeste, did something happen between you and Leon?_" Fujisaki asked.  
_. "No, well kinda. Can I not talk to you about it?"_ Celeste said, glancing at the security camera in the kitchen.  
_. "Oh, I understand."_ Fujisaki gave an understanding smile. _"Now if only I understood why we're hearing 'PEPSI MAN! PEPSI MAN!' through the speakers school-wide."_  
. Leon wished he had known about the microwave being smashed in before he had gone down to the first floor. Still, there was somewhere else to investigate: the art storage room. He strolled up the first floor stairs and was heading to the stairs on the third floor when Togami nearly bumped into him.  
. Leon's eyes narrowed.  
_. "You."  
. "Have you found anything?" _Togami replied, pretending not to notice Leon's icy tone.  
. _"Yeah, we found the microwave smashed in. Probably by a hammer."  
. "And how do you know that the microwave being smashed in had anything to with Hagakure's death?"  
. "Well, it has something to do with Hagakure, considering there was a fragmented CD inside with the name 'Yasuhiro Hagakure' on it."  
. "Alright, then. I accept such reasoning."  
_._ "It makes more sense than Monokuma's new taste in music."_  
_. "Agreed."_  
. Leon and Togami went up to the third floor. They passed the recreation room and turned left. The purple lights illuminated their walking. The silence between the two was deafening, and then they were interrupted by someone.  
._ "Master! Master!"  
. "Oh, crap." _Byakuya sighed. _"I'd forgotten that __**she'd**__ be here." _  
. Genocider Shou came running up to the two of them.  
_. "There appears to be nothing wrong with any desk in any of the classrooms!" _Genocider reported excitedly.  
_. "Good."_ Togami said.  
_. "A third trial. I thought maybe one would happen. Two seemed absurd, but now three. What's Monokuma's angle? What's the long game? Was Hagakure onto something?_ '_**I mean, what benefit does it have for you? If someone successfully commits a murder, that means your little game is over. ... **_**"**_**Is there some great philosophical meaning behind it? Are you like, broadcasting this all over the world with the intent to display the fault of humanity? Because you've chosen the worst possible candidates for it, a bunch of teenagers**__.' "  
. "Naegi?" _Maizono asked._  
. "Nothing. I was just lost in my own head for a moment."  
. "I still can't believe that there's going to be a third trial."  
. "Neither can I."_  
._ "You're still wondering how you got in here."  
. "What? How do you know that?"  
. "Because I'm an esper."  
. "Uh huh."  
. "Super Duper High School Level Lucky Student, my ass. I'm just an ordinary guy."  
. "And yet, you're here."  
. "What even qualifies as luck?"  
. "I can help you there."_ Monokuma said.  
. "_Ahhh."_ Naegi said.  
_. "You want to know what qualifies as luck?"  
. "Please tell me that it's not plot armor."  
. "What?"  
. "You know, plot armor? Where you're not worried about whether or not the main characters in a show will die because you know they have to stick around."  
. "Oh, that plot armor. Yeah, about that... See I never care for luck. I was only ever interested in what student would get selected."  
. "What?"  
. "Oh, yeah. The Super Duper High School Level... God, that is such a long title, you know what, I'm going back to the alternate naming scheme, I'm saying 'Ultimate' Lucky Student, etc. from now on. Anyway the title 'Lucky Student' gets reused as a title a helluva lotta times throughout Hope's Peak."  
. "Why?"  
. "It's part of their annual lottery, or at least it was."_  
_. "So you're saying Ultimate Lucky Student is might be akin to the 'Ultimate Bullshit'?"  
. "Yeah, pretty much."  
. "BULLSHIT!"  
. "But all seriously, the goal behind the Lucky Students was to take an average person and measure him up against the 'talented' people. But sometimes those 'average' people can be pretty weird. Like I knew this one guy, who claimed he got kidnapped, but ended up with a winning lottery ticket in the bag his kidnappers took him in."  
. "I don't believe you."  
. "Of course you wouldn't."  
. "Then what was this student's name?"  
. "Nagito Komaeda."  
. "And he wouldn't have happened to know a 'Peko Pekoyama', would he now?"  
. _Monokuma looked surprised._ "How do you know that name?"  
. "That gilded award sword outside the gymnasium. I spotted it on my first night of exploration."  
. "Wouldn't you like to find out if the Ultimate Swords-woman knows another Ultimate Lucky Student, but alas you're trapped in here. Unless you successfully commit a murder, that is." _Monokuma chuckled as he slipped out of sight.  
. That was it. Makoto Naegi got up from the floor of Classroom 1-A.  
_. "Huh? Makoto?"_ Maizono asked.  
. _"I can't do it. I can't stay here and be the guard any longer. Besides there's you and Kirigiri and Yamada."_ Naegi said, putting his hood up.  
_. "There's nothing preventing you from leaving." _Yamada said.  
_. "Alright. See you guys later."_ Naegi said. _"I have to know just as much as the rest of you. Otherwise, I'll just be a hinderance at the class trial."_  
_. "Wait, Makoto" _Maizono pleaded.  
. _"What is it? Maizono?" _Naegi asked.  
. But Maizono's words fell silent as she realized there was no way to justify keeping Naegi in this room without revealing the fact that someone had threatened his life to her.  
. Kirigiri stood up. _"I finished my investigation of the body. Wait just a moment, Naegi, and I'll accompany you."_  
. "_Accompany you where?"_ Celeste asked, as she and Fujisaki re-entered the classroom.  
. _"Celeste, I know it was your plan to have guard duty but..." _Naegi started.  
. "_But you can't stay in here. You have to get exploring for clues. Isn't that right?"_ Celeste smiled. _"Well, I did say that I want there to be guards, but they don't necessarily have to the same throughout the investigation. Why don't I take over guard duty? I have to things to mull over."_  
. Fujisaki timidly decided to stay in the room as well. _"It's only fair if Naegi gets his own chance to investigate as well."_  
_. "Alright." _Kirigiri said. _"So Celeste, Yamada, and Fujisaki will now guard the body. Maizono, that means you're free as well."  
. "Yes, it does."  
. "Hey, Kirigiri, you go solo. I'll accompany Naegi." _Maizono said as Naegi ran off._  
. _Naegi was impatient._ "I'm going to start with that microwave Yamada mentioned. It's got a CD with Hagakure's name on it. That means its the one piece of evidence outside of the classroom that we know without a doubt is connected to this case." _Without waiting for Maizono to catch up, Naegi jogged to the cafeteria._  
. "So this is what happened to the microwave."_ Naegi said, inspecting it thoroughly. But a piece of paper caught his eye.  
. _**Sorry, guys, I broke the toaster.**_  
. _"Toaster?"_ Naegi asked.  
_. "What's this about a toaster?" _Maizono asked, having caught up to Naegi.  
. _"I don't know. But there's a note that makes reference to a toaster. But there's no toaster in the kitchen."_ Naegi said.  
._ "How very strange." _Maizono said. _"Do you think it's important?"  
. "I don't know." _Naegi admitted. _"Let's keep in mind for the class trial."  
. "Does it say who wrote the note?"_ Maizono asked.  
_. "No, there appears to be no name."_ Naegi said.  
. _"So we don't know who wrote it."  
. "No, we don't._"  
. Naegi and Maizono continued to investigate the kitchen. There was nothing of note that either of them could find. The four knives above the microwave were undisturbed. Aside from the microwave, the kitchen seemed almost spotless. The black floor had no messes.  
_. "Wait, four knives?"_ Naegi noticed. "_ I thought there were six knives."_  
. Togami and Leon were investigating the art preparation room.  
_. "Do you know how many sculpting hammers there were originally?"_ Leon asked.  
_. "Six, if I'm not mistaken."_ Togami replied.  
. Leon counted the hammers. There were six.  
_. "What is it?"_ Genocider asked.  
. _"All six are accounted for."_ Leon said.  
_. "That's hardly a surprise."_ Togami replied. _"I just took a look at the Monokuma file, and it says Hagakure died at 1:45 AM. What time is it now? If so, then that gives the culprit plenty of time to put away the hammer."  
. "Wait, 1:45 AM?"_ Leon said. His eyes narrowed. That crossed some suspects off his list.  
. Celeste was examining Hagakure's body. Something seemed odd. 1:45 AM?  
. But that would mean Hagakure died right around the time she was attempting to pull of her own murder attempt. So did that mean she had an alibi for that time just like Leon, Togami, and Maizono?  
_. "Oh yeah, that's a really great alibi. I was attempting to murder Leon and Togami at the time of Hagakure's death. Brilliant! What a wonderful way to get out of being accused of Hagakure's death."_  
. _"Celeste, is something wrong?_" Fujisaki asked.  
_. "I just can't shake the feeling that something is off with Hagakure's corpse."_ Celeste said.  
_. "What is it?"  
. "I don't know."_  
. Yamada stood there. _"I think I'll investigate the classroom a bit._" Yamada said. Slowly he opened each desk and felt around.  
._ "Have you found anything?" _Celeste asked.  
_. "No." _Yamada said. _"Now if you excuse me, I have to go to the bathroom for a bit."  
. "Fujisaki, check this out?"_ Fujisaki forgot what Chihiro was thinking as Celeste called out.  
. _"What is it, Celeste?"_ Fujisaki asked, bending over slightly.  
. _"Look at Hagakure's corpse, there's something peeling off his fingers."  
. "It's...glue."  
. "Yeah, but what was Hagakure doing with glue?"_  
. Fujisaki thought._ "But the door was closed off with glue. Was Hagakure trying to seal himself into the classroom? If that was the case, why?_"  
. As Naegi continued to explore the kitchen, he couldn't shake the sinking feeling.  
. _"What is it, Naegi?" _Maizono asked.  
._ "I can't shake this feeling. From when Monokuma mentioned that Nagito Komaeda guy. First a Peko Pekoyama and then that Ultimate Physicist who created the air purifier on the third floor, and that Nagito Komaeda guy, another Lucky Student, there have been other students from Hope's Peak."  
. "Yeah, so what?"  
. "Where are they?"  
. "I'm sorry?"_  
. _"Why was he focusing on us? What was so special between the fifteen of us? What connection do we all share?"  
. "Huh. I guess that question needs answering."  
. "Yeah, it kinda does."  
. "But not today. We need to focus on the trial."_  
. "_Alright, we can save it for later."  
. _Meanwhile, Celeste and Fujisaki were so focussed on Hagkaure's body, they didn't realize that the door opened.  
. WHAP!  
. And in a pair of instants, the two had been knocked out. Fujisaki's brain was jogging.  
. _"Parallax scrolling. Different angles. Layers."  
. "Parallax scrolling. It's where background images move slower than the foreground images to create three-dimensional appearances."  
. "Can't parallax scroll a classroom..."  
. _Fujisaki awoke.  
. _"Oh, Fujisaki. How are you?"_ Maizono asked.  
_. "My head is still ringing. But I'm think I'm fine."  
. "You have quite the bruise, are you sure you're going to be okay?"  
. "Yeah. I'll be fine."  
. "Since Enoshima has departed, we had Monokuma check the two of you for concussions."  
. "And?"  
. "None. It was really weird. He had this machine that he used to hook up to your head. Said it would help measure brain waves. No signs of a concussion. For either of you. You're all ready to go."  
. "Good to hear."  
_ Meanwhile_, _Celeste had a restless unconsciousness.  
. "_You can't do that. You just won't have enough money. There's no way it will work mathematically."  
. "Are you so sure?"  
. "What are you going to do, live on those relatively meager World Series of Poker winnings?"  
. "Of course I can."  
. "But how?"  
. "It's called investing in stock and getting dividend checks back."  
. "What?"  
. "You know, dividend checks?"  
. "Celeste, I know what dividend checks are. That's how my parents got wealthy. But those wouldn't be enough."  
. "Combine that with winning gambling tournaments, and it would be enough."  
. "And what happens if you don't win?"  
. "I will win."  
. "You're the same as ever. Gun-ho. And the idea of failure has never crossed your mind."_  
_. "Yes, it has."  
. "No, it hasn't. I mean,not really. You've only ever suffered setbacks."  
. "Like you've never failed before."  
. "Oh, I have. Being born with such a worthless talent as mine. That's where I've failed."  
. "Luck isn't worthless."  
. "Is it?"  
. "If it weren't for your luck, you never would have met me..."  
. "And I never would have learned gambling statistics, or mathematical probabilities."  
. "Yes, as I've said before and will say again 'Whatever the game, you must have a mind for strategy. This will allow you to increase your odds of winning. However, the exciting part about gambling is that there is a power which can overwhelm any strategy. That power is ... luck. So in short, embrace your luck."  
. "You say that but it's brought me just as many bad things as good things."  
. "Well, there ARE only two types of luck- good and bad. There is no in-between. And that luck is built into every human at the moment of conception. Like a computer program. Some call it fate. The bottom line is, luck is life."  
. "Celeste, never have truer words been spoken."_  
Celeste opened her eyes in the infirmary.  
. _"Kirigiri. Maizono."_  
. She turned slightly and saw Monokuma.  
._ "S'up! Can you hear it?"  
. "Ah!"_ That got Celeste out of bed real quick.  
_. "What's going on? Hear what?"  
. "Easy, you've just been knocked out."  
. "But why?"  
. "I don't know. I was just about to ask you that. What were doing you before the two of you got knocked out."  
. "We were examining Hagakure's body. Wait two of us?"_  
. Celeste's eyes shifted over to the bed adjanct to her. The rumpled sheets indicated that someone had been in there.  
_. "Aw. Crap. Who was it?"  
. "Yeah. Fujisaki. That makes three people knocked out, but not murdered within the last twenty-four hours."  
. "Wait, three?"_ Celeste asked.  
. _"Don't worry about it."_ Maizono gritted her teeth.  
. _"Who found us?" _Celeste asked.  
_. "Leon."  
. "What?"  
. "He was heading back to the classroom when he saw Yamada come out of the bathroom. Together the two headed back to the classroom where they discovered the two of you knocked out. Then we all brought you up here. Needless to say, everybody else is now on edge even more than usual."  
. "Okay, Monokuma, now what do you want to mean hear?"  
. "What do I want you to hear here? Take a listen."  
. "That's some odd ... ambience."  
. "Yeah, I've been looping for the second song from Portal: ''Taste of Blood', which reminds me. Now that everybody is awake. It's time!"_  
. Monokuma's announcement played: "TIME'S UP: HEAD TO THE TRIAL ROOM!"  
. With that notification, the nine students gathered up to the front of the elevator. Trial number three was about to get underway. Maizono was the first one there to board the elevator.  
_. "Trial number three. I hope this isn't the one that gets us."_  
. Celeste came next.  
_. "Who attacked me? And will my alibi be needed"_  
. Leon was third to board.  
_. "A pool cue, glue, and a vase: which is the murder weapon?"_  
. Fujisaki stared into space as Chihiro boarded the elevator.  
_. "Who do I keep thinking parallax scrolling is the answer here?"_  
. Togami joined them, pushing up his glasses in anticipiation. There was something thrilling about these trials to him, but unlike the first trial, this one wasn't very obvious.  
_. "Was there something I missed in those files?"_  
. Genocider hovered behind him.  
_. "I'm sure my White Knight will figure this all out like the brilliant man he is."  
. _Yamada scooted in following Genocider._  
. "Well, well, well, it's time to say goodbye to someone, but who? And how many?"  
. _Kirigiri joined them next.  
. _"Monokuma clearly has something up his sleeve. But what is it?"_  
. Naegi was last._  
."Trial number three. Hagakure dead. But who killed him? And why do I get the feeling we're overlooking something very, very important?"  
._ Monokuma snickered. The plans were coming together nicely. No matter how entertaining trial number three was for him, the next go-around was probably going to be even more entertaining than any of the first three? But if they made it through trial number three, how would they fare in the future?

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Please, keep speculating on where this story will go. There is one advantage to being patient and taking my time, I've already planted seeds for future chapters so nothing is an ass-pull. Try and find them. (Also, I originally had Celeste find the note instead of Naegi.) Yes, there is going to be a fourth trial.


	25. Knifing through the Numbers

Chapter 25

With a crossed out picture for Hagakure to the right of Chihiro, the third trial was underway. Monokuma was lounged quite comfortably. The color motif of the trial room for trial number three was blue. There were various shades of blue stripes including one that matched Maizono's hair.  
. The nine participants took their positions in the circle. Two times they had been in here before, and both times they had been successful. But was the third time Monokuma's charm?  
. _"So how do we want to begin?"_ Kirigiri asked.  
_. "How about discussing what happened to Hagakure?" _Yamada said.  
_. "That seems awfully vague."_ Celeste said. "_He was murdered._"  
_. "Perhaps, 'how' might be the better question?"_ Leon said.  
_. "You're right."_ Maizono said._ "I'm confused just how the murder was actually executed."  
. "Yeah. The wood chips in his hair say the weapon was made out of wood." _Naegi said. _"But the broken vase begs to differ."  
. "Perhaps the vase was used as a distraction?"_ Yamada asked. _"A red herring to muddy the water for the trial."_  
. _"That's certainly possible._" Togami said.  
. _"Yes, the wood chips say that the wooden object was the murder weapon."_ Kirigiri agreed.  
. _"What about the__** 'wooden' **__pool cues!"_ Leon said.  
. "_Well, what other wooden object could it be?" _Genocider said, waving her tongue around. _"I personally checked all the wooden legs of the desks."_  
. "So we agreed that the pool cues were the murder weapon." Kirigiri said.  
. Naegi narrowed his eyes. Kirigiri was too eager to agree to that. He had seen the gash on Hagakure's head. The murder weapon was probably the vase. But did Kirigiri have a reason for doing that? Was she hoping to catch the true murderer off guard? But should he trust Kirigiri or call her out? Damn it, if he didn't call her out now, they would proceed down the wrong path, and get nowhere!  
. "_You've got that wrong!"_ Naegi shouted.  
. _"Geez, Naegi. No need to shout."_ Kirigiri cooly replied.  
_. "Kirigiri, you inspected the body. You should know that the vase was used to bash his head open. I mean, come on!"  
. "Yes, I know. Naegi." _Kirigiri sound peeved.  
_. "Wait, you knew!" _Togami, pounding his fists. _"So why did you say that it was the pool cues that finished him off."  
. "Dick move, Kirigiri." _Leon interjected._ "Dick move."  
. _Monokuma laughed. _"It's funny because Kirigiri is a girl."  
. "I had been hoping to catch the culprit off-guard. But now I can't." _Kirigiri sighed. _"Thanks Naegi."  
. "Oh, so it's Naegi's fault for pointing out one of your inconsistencies!"_ Maizono said. _"We're supposed to solve this murder together. That's a move straight out of the book of Mr. Byakuya Togami, one of the crown heirs of douchebaggery!"  
. "Excuse me?"_ Togami said, startled.  
_. "Yeah, you heard me."_ Maizono snarked.  
._ "You take that back, you blue-haired b-at-ch." _Genocider said, waving her Geno-scissors around.  
._ "Argh!" _Yamada cried. "_Put those away, please!"  
. "And what if you just said all that crap about 'catching the culprit off-guard' because you're the one who killed Hagakure!" _Leon said.  
_. "What?"_ Kirigiri said, flatly, arms folded in exasparation.  
._ "Yeah, I mean you have a motive. The secret." _Leon pointed out. "_We've been in here how long? And we still don't know any more than your name."  
. "Don't forget height, weight, and birthday!" _Monokuma said. "_Or have you guys not checked your Student Ids yet?"  
. "So, Kirigiri. Did you murder Hagakure?" _ Yamada asked. _"If you didn't, then prove it. Prove the motive has nothing on you. What is your secret?"  
. "Alright. I'll tell you."_ Kirigiri repsonded. _"I'm suffering from amnesia."  
. "Amnesia?"_ Maizono said. _"Meaning..."_  
_. "Meaning... I can't remember a lot about my past. I can't even remember my past. I think someone's messed with my head."_  
_. "We were all knocked out." _Togami said. _"Perhaps you just got a brunt more than the rest of us."  
. "But I can't even remember my talent."  
. "If I had to hazard a guess."_ Naegi said. _"You're probably some sort of detective."  
. "Yes, that makes sense."  
. "Can we get back on track?"_ Leon asked._ "Kirigiri, do you have any hard evidence that disproves the fact that you're the culprit?"  
. "Unforunately, I do not."_ Kirigiri admitted. _"I can only say that I didn't do it."  
. "Hmmm, a lack of alibi does not pose well for you."_ Yamada said.

_. "I know. But let's continue discussing anyway."_ Kirigiri said, unperturbed.  
_. "She's acknowledging her lack of alibi, and yet she still expects us to continue debate."_ Yamada said.  
. "_I have something, a particular line of reasoning, that proves Kirigiri isn't the culprit._" Celeste said.  
_. "You do?"_ Leon said. "_Let's hear it!"  
. "She would have gotten rid of the vase." _Celeste said.  
_. "I'm sorry? What?"_ Genocider said.  
._ "Think about it."_ Celeste argued. "_She was pushing for the pool cues as the murder weapon even though the vase was right there and she knew it and anybody could have called her on it, which Naegi did. If she had wanted to make us believe that the pool cues really were the murder weapon, she would have gotten rid of the entire vase, or hidden it or something."  
. "Perhaps she didn't have time to hide it!"_ Yamada argued.  
_. "Yaushiro Hagakure's time of death was 1:45 AM. I can only assume the room was sealed at or shortly after his death. You don't expect people to stroll around at that time of night, and that leaves plenty of time to get the classroom in order for discovery.  
. "I get your point." _Fujisaki said. "_If Kirigiri were the culprit, she would have done a better job of hiding evidence."  
. "But what if she left the evidence to make us think that!"_ Yamada continued to argued.  
_. " If you're going to commit a crime and get away with it, you want to leave as little legitimate evidence behind." _Celeste said. "_Especially considering what happens if you're discovered. YOU DIE!_ _And we've established that the broken vase is legitimate evidence."_  
. "That point is indeed valid." Togami grudgingly admitted.  
_. "Wait, Celeste, you said 'get the classroom in order for discovery'._" Maizono asked.  
_. "Yes, and what of it?"_  
._ "But the classroom was sealed."_ Fujisaki said.  
_. "A sealed-room murder." _Kirigiri said. "_There are four major versions of a sealed room. The first is that the sealed room has been created after the end of the crime."  
. "And what are the other three?"_ Celeste asked.  
. _"I'm getting to that."_ Kirigiri replied, testily. _"There's a sealed room that exists before the murder occurred."  
. "Huh?"_ Yamada asked.  
. _"Think of it as a long-range murder."_ Kirigiri replied. _"But I doubt this one qualifies."_  
_. "Moving on to number three?" _Maizono asked.  
_. "The culprit is inside the room when the seal is broken. They then pretend to have stumbled upon the murder scene, and slip away in the crowd."_  
_. "And number four?_" Fujisaki asked.  
_. "It never really was a sealed room. And there's a secret way for the culprit to have escaped. It shows up a lot in detective fiction."_ Kirigiri said.  
. Togami paused for a moment. Kirigiri knew more than she was letting on.  
_. "So can we cross any of them off?"_ Leon asked.  
_. "Well, since Fujisaki broke the seal, what was it like when you entered?" _Kirigiri asked Chihiro.  
_. "I can't remember much because I was so focused on the body."_ Fujisaki admitted. _"But I do know that there was no place to hide."  
. "So we can cross off number three._" Celeste said.  
_. "We can also cross off number four."_ Kirigiri said. "_Or does Classroom 1-A have a secret passage that only the culprit knows about, Monokuma?"_  
. Monokuma chuckled. "_My answer is building was built as a school, and I have changed nothing about this school, structurally-speaking."  
. "So that's a no then."_ Naegi said.  
._ "I doubt very much that it's the second scenario either." _Togami said.  
_. "And what makes you say that?"_ Leon asked.  
_. "Fujisaki said that the door was sealed shut."_ Togami said. _"With the metallic coverings over the windows, the only way in or out of that classroom is the door."  
. "So it's the first scenario." _Genocider said. _"Say, Cherry, do you know what was sticking the door to the door frame?"  
. "If it recall, it was some sort of glue."_ Fujisaki replied.  
_. "Yeah, like that glue Fujisaki and I found in the prep room!" _Leon said.  
_. "What?"_ Maizono asked. _"You guys found glue?"  
. "Yes, it was spilled over._" Fujisaki said.  
_. "Alright, so the door was sealed with glue." _Togami said.  
._ "So that's how they created the sealed room."_ Celeste said. "_Is everyone in agreement?"  
. "Wait, how can we trust Fujisaki's word that the room was sealed?"_ Yamada asked.  
_. "I'm sorry?"_ Genocider pointed out. "_You're accusing Cherry of murder?"_  
. Fujisaki panicked._ "Oh, wait, guys, please I didn't do it!"  
. "Relax." _Naegi said. _"I think what Yamada is saying that you might have opened the door awkwardly originally. It's possible the door just didn't fit right in the frame. I mean, after all, my shower door doesn't quite open right in my bedroom."  
. "What?" _Yamada said. _"And how can we trust that information? You could be making it up as fake evidence to cover for Fujisaki."_  
_. "Cover for Fujisaki? How absurd."_ Kirigiri said. "_Naegi knows the risks. I can only assume he is telling the truth about his shower door."  
. "Your credibility is not very good right now, Kirigiri Kyoko."_ Togami pointed out.  
. _"But I can verify it!"_ Maizono said.  
_. "What?" _Yamada said.  
. _"I was there when Monokuma told Naegi about his misaligned shower door."_ Maizono argued.  
. _"Seriously?"_ Leon asked.  
_. "That first night."_ Maizono replied_. "Enoshima and I went to check up on Naegi."  
. "When was this?"_ Yamada asked.  
_. "At four in the morning."_ Naegi muttered.  
_. "Can you blame me?_" Maizono asked.  
_. "You should have seen them, guys." _Monokuma said. _"Maizono and Enoshima were lezzing it up."  
. "No, we weren't!" _Maizono shouted.  
_. "Shame I missed it." _Yamada sighed dejectedly.  
. _"You pervert, it never happened."_ Maizono said, cutting across Naegi.  
_. "Do you have any proof besides just your word?"_ Yamada asked.  
_. "Did you just ask that to continue the theme?"_ Togami said.  
_. "Okay, important question. What do these conversational tangents have to do with Hagakure's murder?_" Leon asked.  
_. "I think you mean conversational derivatives."_ Fujisaki said.  
_. "See, that! That! That is what I'm talking about._" Naegi asked. _"Who the hell cares? Conversational derivatives vs. Conversational tangents? What's the difference between a derivative and a tangent anyway?"_  
_. "In the context of flat lines, there's no difference. The derivative of a function is the tangent line of said function."_ Fujisaki said.  
._ "Can I assume that you picked this bit of information up from the Calculus textbook?" _Togami said._  
. "Yes, you can."_ Fujisaki replied.  
_. "Say, Celeste, wouldn't you know calculus as well?"_ Leon asked. " _I mean, you are the gambler after all."_  
._ "You idiot, you're confusing calculus with statstics!"_ Celeste said.  
_. "Sorry... I was never really that much of a mathematical person." _Leon said.  
_. "But how is that possible? I mean, for a sport, baseball is pretty number-driven."_ Yamada pointed out.  
_. "We're getting off-topic again."_ Naegi said. "_We know how the classroom was sealed. It had the glue that Leon and Fujisaki found in the recreation room, and that Fujisaki pried it open with a knife."  
. "Really?" _Genocider said, in a sarcastic tone.  
. _"Yeah, Fujisaki and I found the glue in the rec room."_ Leon said. "_I mentioned it earlier."  
. "Wood chips. Pool cues. In Hagakure's hair." _Naegi started muttering to himself, something only Maizono picked up.  
_. "Wait, did you say wood chips?" _Maizono said.  
_. "Yeah." _Naegi said.  
._ "I remember seeing some wood chips in the incinerator room."_ Maizono said.  
_. "If so... that would mean..." _Naegi started.  
_. "Yeah, yeah, it would... especially considering the glue in the recreation room." _Maizono finished.  
_. "Wait, what in the world do you two just agree on?"_ Togami asked.  
._ "Well, I think the culprit might have used the pool cues as a first weapon to stun Hagakure before killing him with the vase." _Naegi explained.  
._ "But wouldn't the pool cues have snapped?" _Leon asked._ "The culprit very well couldn't put them back in the recreation room."  
. "That could provide an additional use for the glue/superglue."_ Naegi said. _"The culprit originally attempted to glue the fractured pool cues back together so that he could put them in the recreation room and throw off any evidence of them of being used._"  
_. "And what evidence do you have for that?" _Togami asked, frustratedly. The trial was not going his way at all. As someone who was used to being in control in these sort of situations, it was disconcerting to see someone else dictating the tempo.  
_. "The spilled glue that Leon and Fujisaki found in the recreation room." _Naegi said. _"My guess is that  
the culprit attempted to use glue to put the splintered pool cues back together."  
. "Why in the recreation room?" _Celeste asked.  
_. "Probably to give himself a partial alibi in case he were discovered."_ Naegi said. _"Think about it. All the culprit has to say if someone walks in on them is that they broke the pool cue in frustration and took the glue out of the store room to fix it themselves."  
. "A partial alibi?" _Genocider said. "_Either an alibi is full or it isn't."  
. "Not necessarily." _Kirigiri said. "_Say a murder takes place over a long period of time. A partial alibi can make things easier."  
. "I see."_ Leon said. "_So knowing where someone is part of the time is better than not knowing where they were all of the time."_  
. _"Exactly."  
. "But, what's the use for creating a partial alibi?" Naegi asked. "I mean, the time of death was 1:45 A.M."_  
_. "It might have aided them anyway. You never know who could be walking around." _Yamada said.  
_. "I think it's because if they successfully glued the pool cue back together, then they can just put the pool cue away, and no one would have known." _Maizono questioned.  
. _"So the culprit must have thought they had enough dexterity to get it done."_ Leon said. _"Hey wait a minute, Kirigiri, you're wearing gloves, and they interfere with dexterity." _  
_. "Exactly, I was waiting for something to get that. More proof that I am not the culprit."  
. "Couldn't you have just taken the gloves off?"_ Yamada asked.  
. Monokuma chuckled. _"Even I would like to see what's under those gloves."_  
._ "Enough. There you go."_ Celeste said, cutting off Yamada. "T_he only way that Monokuma can't know what's under Kirigiri's gloves is if she has never taken off. She would have needed to take them off to glue the pool cues back together._ _That's two seperate lines of reasoning, one backed by Monokuma himself, that says Kirigiri is not the culprit. And unless you can poke a legitimate hole in either of them, Kirigiri can be safely assumed to not be the culprit."  
. "Why are you so insistent on defending Kirigiri?" _Togami asked.  
_. "Because I don't think she did it."_  
._ "Is she secretly a lesbian?" _Genocider Shou taunted. _"I think that must be what her secret is."  
. "No, I'm not a lesbian. Whatever gave you that idea? My secret is something entirely different."  
. "Prove it!"_ Genocider said.  
_. "What?"  
. "Tell us what YOUR Secret is! Kirigiri already did hers!"_  
_. "No. They're supposed to be our darkest secrets. Why would reveal them?"_ Celeste angrily replied.  
_. "Kirigiri probably has multiple secrets. Secrets that nothing even Monokuma knows about."_ Togami said.  
. Kirigiri smirked.  
. "_Don't get so ahead of yourself. I'm not supporting you. I'm just saying that you probably have a card up your sleeve."_ Togami remarked.  
._ "And that bothers you, doesn't it?"_ Kirigiri replied.  
_. "Excuse me?"_  
. _"You like being able to call the shots. Well, what happens when you can't call the shots. One of these days something is going to happen that is out of your control."  
. "Anyway... can we get back on topic now?"_ Naegi asked.  
_. "So it appears we've figured out the murder weapon."_ Maizono started. _"We've also figured out how the culprit was able to seal the room. We've even eliminated some suspects, mainly Kirigiri and Fujisaki."  
. "So that leaves seven possible candidates."_ Fujisaki said. _"Naegi, Maizono, Celeste, Leon, Togami, Yamada and Genocider."  
. "We've got a one in seven chance at this rate." _Leon said, scratching his head. _"I say, we vote for Yamada."  
. "What, how dare you?" _Yamada said. "_Anyway, a one in seven chance is still only 14.2%"  
. "Is it?" _Celeste said.  
_. "Well, I'm about to narrow it down further."_ Kirigiri said.  
. "How's so?"  
. "Do you guys remember that Maizono was attacked?"  
. Various nods of agreement went out.  
_. "Maizono, can you say exactly what happened?"_ Kirigiri asked.  
._ "Well, I was out of my room at about 1 AM." _Maizono said.  
._ "Why?"_ Yamada asked.  
. _"Shut up. It doesn't matter why."_ Celeste said.  
. _"And anyway, I saw a shadowy figure go into the incinerator room." _Maizono continued. "So I followed them, but there was nobody there. Next thing I know I hear a voice, and it ends by saying "_**say nothing of what you've heard tonight or else you or Naegi will be murdered before the class trial."  
**__. "So what was said before?" _Celeste asked._  
. "I don't really want to say yet. But I can tell you that it narrows me and Naegi out of the equation."  
. "So that's why you didn't bring it up before now?" _Leon asked._  
. "Exactly, I didn't want to give my attacker an opening."  
. "So that rules out you and Naegi." _Kirigiri said._ "Now we're down to one out of five."  
. "It's not myself, Leon, or Celeste." _Togami said_. "We all have alibis."  
. "Dude! This didn't come up before... because?" _Naegi said._  
. "Because it was a complete and total coincidence all three of us had alibis with each other." _Togami said._ "And just because Genocider Shou is obsessed with me doesn't me I'm willing to just bring this up."  
. "Fair enough."  
."So now we've got a one in two chance." _Fujisaki said._  
. "I can say we're making some real headway."_Leon said_.  
. "Genocider Shou, did you murder Yaushiro Hagakure?" _Togami asked._ "And tell the truth!"  
. "No, my White Knight, I did not." _Genocider said, lovingly._  
. "And then there was one." _Leon said, as everybody turned to Yamada._  
. "What, guys, I didn't do it." _Yamada pleaded._ "And how can we trust those alibis of Togami, Celeste, or Leon. What were you guys doing anyway?"  
. "Oh, Celeste was attempting to murder Leon and myself. At least until Maizono interrupted her." _Togami cooly replied.  
_. "That seems awfully convienent for an alibi." _Yamada said.  
_. "Yes, well someone can only kill two people." _Celeste said. _"I wasn't expecting Togami to come. How did you know?"  
. "I saw the note that you left outside Leon's door._" Togami said.  
._ "What note?"_ Celeste asked. "_I didn't leave Leon a note."  
. "Say what?"_ Leon asked.  
. "_I got a note to meet __**you**_ _in the Physics Prep Room_." Celeste replied. _"I brought the knife along in case of self-defense. See here it is." _Celeste produced the note._  
. "Hey, it's identical to mine!" _Leon said._  
. "I can vouch for that."_ Maizono said. "After I got knocked out, I walked out of the incinerator room. And I saw Celeste carrying the knife. "  
._ "Then what was that spiel about killing me?"_ Leon said.  
_. "I thought you had made your intent to kill me first. So I figured I would put on a little show to get you to back off." _Celeste replied._  
. "Are you just saying that to save face?"_ Togami asked.  
_. "Question for the ages?"_ Celeste replied.  
._ "No, I don't think so. If the two notes are identical, that means the same person wrote them."_ Kirigiri said. _"A third party."  
. "So Celeste has just given her intent to kill not one, but two people. How do you know she didn't just waltz off from her failed attempts in the Physics Prep room and go kill Hagakure?" _Yamada pointed out.  
._ "That's ... actually a good point."_ Naegi said. "_Celeste?"  
. "Do you have anything to defend yourself with, Celeste?"_ Leon asked.  
._ "Actually, you and Togami."_ Celeste said.  
_. "What the hell does that mean?" _Naegi asked.  
_. "Hey, you can't use my White Knight for your own defense."_ Genocider said.  
. _"Well, my point is this. Say I killed Leon AND Togami. Then I can't kill Hagakure."_ Celeste argued.  
_. "Oh, that's rich. I didn't kill Hagakure because I was too busy attempting to kill Leon and Togami." _Yamada pointed out. _"That's a real poor defense you're mounting."  
. "And yet it makes sense." _Kirigiri said.  
_. "Well, maybe it's because Hagakure was a fall back victim." _Yamada countered. _"A release valve in case all of her scheming for Togami and Leon fell apart."  
. "Except Togami wasn't supposed to be there."_ Celeste said.  
_. "Then why did you bring two knives?"_ Yamada asked.  
_. "In case, the owner of the note managed to disarm the first knife, stupid." _Celeste replied.  
. Naegi caught it, and so did Kirigiri.  
. "_And that's checkmate, Yamada."_ Kirigiri said.  
_. "What?" _Yamada replied. _"I don't know what you mean."  
. "I mean, nobody ever mentioned two knives._" Kirigiri said. _"Maizono said that she saw Celeste carry a knife. She never mentioned two knives."  
. "And yet, somehow you knew it."_ Togami said. "_How did you know? Unless you were up at the time of Hagakure's murder, watching us?"_  
_. "You know, all of a sudden, it makes sense. Every single one of your suggestions." _ Naegi said. _"The fact that you were obstructing us all the way. You kept making accusations. It all makes sense. You were trying to deflect suspicion onto someone else from the get go."  
. "So you killed Hagakure." _Celeste said. _"What's your justification? Unlike Enoshima and Oogami who were a double knockout or Fukawa who killed Oowada out of fear for her own safety after Ishimaru died. You straight up murdered Hagakure. Or was it self-defense?"_  
_. "You know, not everything involving Yaushiro is cut-and-dry." _Yamada replied.  
. _"What do you mean by that?_" Leon asked. "_Sure Hagakure may have been kinda an airhead, but he was an okay guy."  
_. Yamada chuckled as Celeste went dead silent. The lenses of his glasses appeared to be dead white, and a shadow seemed to loom over his forehead.  
. Monokuma was about to wrap up this trial.  
_. "Alright, everybody. It's time to cast your votes."  
_. Ding. Ding. Ding.  
_. "Your votes are correct. Hifumi Yamada killed Yaushiro Hagakure." _Monokuma laughed uproariously.  
_. "All right, Monokuma, before you start. Can I go and complete one action?" _Yamada asked, as he staggered over to Celeste and dropped his backpack at her feet. He leaned in and whispered a few words into Celeste's ears, who's eyes went wide with shock.  
._ "What was that?" _Togami asked. _"What did you say?"  
__. "Sorry. But that's between Celeste and a dead man." _Yamada replied.  
. Monokuma revived up Yamada's execution.  
. _"I call this one: 'Watch out, Booko! Giant Monster Invasion.'"_ Monokuma laughed.  
_. "My god."_ Naegi said. "_You have individual names for executions? How much planning went into it?"  
_. With Yamada trapped in the middle on a platform next to a rioting Monokuma, a giant monster came over. The two began to fight. It was graphic.  
._ "You'll never take me alive, giant Booko!" _At least, Monokuma was enjoying it.  
. The monster roared and firing an attack at Monokuma and by proxy Yamada. Monokuma fired his shot. Both hit Yamada, and within half-a-second he was dead. Hifumi Yamada was dead. His corpse laid on the descending platform.  
. Naegi clinched his fits. _"Damn it, Yamada, why did you have to be so vague with your motives? You didn't say anything about what motivated you to kill a classmate."  
__. "No closure, huh, Makoto? That bothers you? You're too soft." _Monokuma said.  
. "_Am I?"_ Naegi said. _"Excuse me for preferring everybody remain alive."  
_. The remaining students gathered into the elevator and went back to their dorm rooms. Day nine had been very exhausting.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I was originally thinking of making trial three a two parter, but I just didn't have enough content with a 4,000 words per chapter mark. I was also going to have Yamada drop a couple of Neon Genesis Evangelion references and about how the anime motivated him to take up his hobbies (considering he would have been three or four when it first came out) but since I haven't watched the whole series yet, and it didn't fit, I scrapped it.


	26. Four: A Bad Sense of Timing

Chapter 26

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Sorry about the Hiatus. I'll explain why at the end of the chapter.

Day 10's Monokuma announcement started off with a bang.  
_."What the blazes is that song?" _Togami asked, as everybody trudged out of their rooms.  
_. "Wait..."_ Naegi yawned. _"I know this song. It's Death The Kid's Theme Song from Soul Eater."  
__. "What, you don't like 'Bang! Bang! Bang! Have a Nice Dream!'?" _Monokuma asked.  
_. "You know, in this case, it's a little too on-the-nose."_ Leon said, as everybody went back to their rooms.  
. In a couple of hours, while Fujisaki took a bath, only Maizono and Naegi were ready to explore the fourth floor. Everybody else was still catching up on their interrupted sleep both from Monokuma's morning interruption and the previous day's trial. As the two slowly ascended the stairs, and throughout the school, neither of them said much. But as they made their way to the fourth floor, it seemed a bit different from the previous three. Maybe it was the floor grates, but Naegi found the fourth floor more metallic and cold than the previous three.  
_. "Makoto, what's wrong?"_ Maizono asked.  
_. "Nothing. It's just seems off."_ Naegi said.  
. The boys bathroom appeared just like the other bathrooms in the school part of the academy. There were green and yellow tiles on the walls, various hues of blue tiles on the floor, and an iron plate covering the window. There were a few urinals, and toliets, and a sink and the mirror. Exiting the bathroom and turning left, he saw a blue door. The sign said 'Data Lab'.  
_. "Do you think it's locked?"_ Maizono asked.  
_. "I don't know._" Naegi replied. He tried opening the door. It was no use. _"No good- the door's locked. I guess we won't be getting in here."  
_. The two teenagers continued going over the metallic grates and through the dull yellow walls with gray wood-panelling. After passing the data center, they continued forward and took a left. The two peered into the Classroom 4-A. It was wavy blue with iron plates covering the windows.  
_. "Makoto, what the hell is that?" _Maizono asked.  
_. "Maizono, what are you talking about? Wait, why am I drawn on a chalkboard?"  
__. "I don't know."_ Maizono replied. _"And with the words, 'One day, I saw Monokuma in class.'  
__, "And sitting at a desk. And why is there blood on the right hand side of the chalkboard?"  
_. Feeling slightly perturbed, the two left the classroom and moved on to Classroom 4-B. The lighting changed from yellow to red. With twenty desks as well, this classroom was more of a spotted yellow, and black.  
. Printed sideways was an equation. "e^(iθ)= cos(θ)+ i*sin(θ)"  
_. "We'll have to ask Fujisaki about this equation."_ Maizono said.  
_. "Ask me what?" _Fujisaki had appeared.  
_. "Fujisaki!"_ Naegi said, somewhat surprised.  
_. "About this equation."_ Maizono pointed out to the board.  
_. "Ah, Euler's Formula." _Fujisaki said, after taking a quick glance at the board. _"I can explain it if you like."  
__."It would probably just go over our heads."_ Maizono said.  
_. "Never the less, the history behind it is quite fascinating."_ Fujisaki said. _" Basically, Euler found something that two other mathematicians, Johann Bernoulli and Roger Cotes had missed, and he combined it into a major equation in the 1740s."  
__. "Fujisaki, you find this stuff way too fascinating." _Naegi said.  
_."Well, I am a programmer, and it gets hard to program without a good understanding in numbers."  
_ While Maizono and Naegi left the classroom, Fujisaki stayed behind to check the desks. The two made their way towards the chemistry lab. It was gray like floor tiles outside. There was a table filled to the brim with assorted beakers and test tubes. Naegi noticed a cabinet on the far left side next to what appeared to be the boiler.  
_. "A, B, and C." _Naegi said. _"Hey, Maizono, look at this."  
__"It appears A is for protein-like substances, vitamins, minerals and the like, including something called Proteinzyme-X." Maizono said, rifling through Cabinet A.  
__. "Proteinzyme-X?"_ Naegi said. "_What a lazy name. Isn't that just like a portmanteau of protein and enzyme?"  
__. "Portmanteau?_" Monokuma appeared. _"Like the people who ship you together call it Naezono?"  
__. "Ack! Get it away. Get it away. Get it away."_ Maizono said.  
_. "Well, that's not a very nice thing to say to your headmaster." _Monokuma said.  
_. "Considering our lifestyle here."_ Naegi said. _"I'd said that that is a very appropriate reaction."  
__. "Well, whose fault is it for wanting out of here?"Yours, you dingbat. You're the one who provided the motives."  
__. "But you're the ones who murdered each other. You've had three class trials so far. That's why you have access to the fourth floor now. Though I have to admit, there's no way I saw this many making it to the fourth floor."  
__. "How many did you expect to see?" _Naegi said.  
_. "About seven or eight."  
__. "There's nine of us."  
__. "Oh, is there? I lost count. Well, I'm out."  
__. "Ah, before Monokuma showed up, I meant to ask. What's an enzyme?"_ Maizono asked, as the two exited the chemistry lab, and turned around away from the staircase up to the fifth floor.  
_. "Oh, right, you probably missed that lesson in middle school. I can't remember, but it's something something cellular biology something."  
__. "I see. I'm not very good at biology. Perhaps you could teach me sometime?"  
__. "Hey, you're asking the average guy here to tutor you? I wasn't that good at middle-school biology either. Too much memorization. The only thing I ever remember about biology is reading up on the internet about the Sonic Hedgehog gene, and that it has inhibitor of Robotnikinin. Which reminds me." _Naegi said, glancing at the staircase. "_If there isn't a biology lab on this level, it must be on a floor above us."  
_. Maizono facepalmed. "_Gotta make that reference, don't you?"  
__. "Of course, I'm very good at making references."  
__. "Uh-huh. Of course you are, Makoto."  
_. Fujisaki sat alone in the classroom, wondering about what to do now. Alter Ego had finished decrypting the files that morning.  
_. "I'm paraphrasing here, big brother, but it appears these files were under secure for a very notable reason."  
__. "And what reason is that?"  
__. "Do you know what 'The Most Despair-Inducing Incident in of Human-Kind.' is?"  
__. "No, I have never heard of it."  
__. "And yet the headmaster, makes many references to the incident."  
__. "I see. What are the details you can tell me?"  
__. "Apparently, it happened over a year ago according to the scanned papers. I've been off for quite a while so I don't know if my internal clock is correct anymore."  
__. "It shouldn't be too far off. You weren't that old of a model when I found and made you."  
__. "Anything else?"  
__. "Well, since you asked, it appears that the headmaster's signature has been cut off from these scans."  
__. "What?"  
__. "I mean, the rest of the document is there. But it's like it's been photoshopped out. I think it's possible that a headmaster, a man in his late 30s is the mastermind."  
__. "Then that can only mean... these documents have been tampered with. But with that in mind, by who? The headmaster or the mastermind? Or are they not the same?"  
__. "Wait, Alter Ego, can you find out the headmaster's name for me? Using anything else."  
__. "Just a moment. I'll perform a search."  
_Fujisaki waited for a few minutes.  
_. "By process of elimination, I found the headmaster's name."  
__. "And what is the name of the headmaster?"  
__. "I found only one name that does not come up in any file labelled 'student profiles'. Jin Kirigiri. Say, isn't that Kyoko's last name?"  
__."Yes, yes, it is. Another mystery."  
__."Speaking of mysteries, how many students were there when you were first trapped in here?"  
__."Fifteen."  
__. "Well, I found sixteen student profiles."  
__. "Okay, first exclude the names of everyone you've met or I've told you is alive."  
__."Next, exclude the names of Toko Fukawa, Kiyotaka Ishimaru, Junko Enoshima, Mondo Oowada, and Sakura Oogami."  
__. "Done."  
__."Who's left?"  
__."Someone by the name of Mukuro Ikusaba."  
__. "What?"  
__. "Whoever put this information on the file probably didn't mean to add this information on us. But apparently there was supposed to be a sixteenth member of your class. But reasons unknown it was scrapped, or Ikusaba didn't come."  
__. "I suppose it's entirely possible this Mukuro Ikusaba just showed up late after the rest of us had already been abducted. But I don't remember seeing anything about her on Hope's Peak Message Boards except for the fact that she was a member of this mercenary group called Fenrir. Have you cracked the file?"  
__. "No. Mukuro Ikusaba's is heavily encoded, even more so than the others."  
__. "I wonder why."  
_.The only thing Chihiro could do now was search for a network cable and ethernet port. But where could Fujisaki find one? Maybe there was a network cable in the physics lab or A/V Room? And what about the fact Kirigiri Kyoko was potentially related to Kirigiri the headmaster? Was it possible their initial hunches in the first trial were correct about Kirigiri being the mastermind? And what further information would come out when Alter Ego decrypting even more of the files left? Fujisaki walked over to the far side of the classroom, and wondered about the outside world.  
. Next, Maizono and Naegi checked the office. There were a bunch of potted plants.  
_. "Hey, Maizono. Is it just me or do all of these plants have monocoins?"  
__. "You're right. They sure do."  
_. There was nothing about the office that stuck out. All faculty files had probably been taken out of the room. Naegi would check himself later after they had finished exploring. The two left the office and went over to the headmaster's office. It was locked.  
_. "Another locked door! Impossible! Wait, no, it's totally possible. What am I talking about?"  
__. "Naegi. Was that another reference? Because you need to stop."  
__. "It's not another reference. At least I don't think so."  
__. "What do you mean, you don't think so?"  
__. "I mean, I can't quite remember where I heard it first, but that line sounded way too... way too..."  
__. "Elaborate?"_ Kirigiri said, walking over.  
_. "Elaborate! Yeah, that's the word!"_ Naegi said. "_Wait, Kirigiri, how did you know what I was saying?"  
__. "Easy. Because I've been up here the whole time."_ Kirigiri replied.  
_. "Wow, you were really, really quiet. Please don't ever stalk someone. You'd make a great stalker. And by great, I mean horrible to have."  
__. "I don't know what you're talking about. I'd never stalk anyone. Unless they were suspicious of course...No, actually, it's because Monokuma felt like playing the audio of your conversation to me as I walked up to the fourth floor."  
__."Seriously?"_ Maizono said.  
_. "Yeah, he keeps blabbering about entertainment value. Apparently when we're not having murders or class trials, the mastermind finds the most pleasure in watching your relationship. At least that's what he told me in his trolling manner."  
__. "MONOKUMA! HEY, MONOKUMA!"_ Naegi shouted to no avail.  
_. "Hang on, let me try something. DESPAIR SUCKS! BEAR PUNS ARE STUPID!"_ Maizono said.  
_. "How dare you?"_ Monokuma appeared.  
_. "What are you trying to do anyway?"_ Kirigiri said. _"You've spent the past half-hour taunting me about Naegi and Maizono 'relationship'?"  
__. "Perhaps he's tried to force a love triangle?"_ Fujisaki said.  
_. "A love triangle, with me?"_ Naegi said. _"How utterly ridiculous."  
__. "And yet, I find it's the most entertainment." _Monokuma said.  
_. "Did you suddenly absorb Yamada's love for high-school animes? You know the ones where all the female characters fight over the main male character?"_ Naegi snarked. "_You're providing us with motives to kill each other. You really think you can also have harem genres and high-school comedy?"  
__. "Well, why not? I'm less likely to get bored that way. I like my entertainment_ _versatile."_  
. The conversation quickly died as Kirigiri left. There was only one room left on the fourth floor, the music hall.  
. Naegi, Maizono, and Fujisaki were first impressed with the grand scale of the music hall. The pink squares on the wall were maybe for acoustic purposes, but Naegi would have chosen a different color.  
_. "Hey, Maizono, you wanna gather everyone over here and try singing together?"  
__. "A chorus performance?"_ Maizono replied. _"Hey, you know, getting together with all of us and... Oh, that sounds like fun."_ Maizono thought back to the happier days of her idol group performing together, and it depressed her.  
_. "Maizono?"  
__. "Sorry, it's just, you reminded me of my idol group members."  
__. "Oh, I'm sorry."  
_. Naegi stopped and thought about what could cheer Maizono up.  
_. "Hey, you know, Maizono, I've always wanted to see some live music."  
__. "Yeah, I'd like to go, too!"_ Maizono replied, excitedly. "_When we get out of here, we should go to a concert! But I mean, I had hadn't much time lately to do anything like that, thanks to my own work schedule. But going to see other people perform is a good learning experience!"  
__."Uh huh."_ Naegi replied.  
_."Wait... you weren't talking about going to see 'me' perform, were you?"_ Maizono asked, blushing as she stared at the piano.  
_."You should be careful. Everything about Maizono has been manufactured and autotuned. Performing lively is a whole different set of skills."_ Celeste said, entering the room.  
_. "Is this a grand piano?"_ Naegi commented, ignoring Celeste. "_It seems really old. I bet it's worth a lot of money, but without someone who can play it, it's not very useful."  
__. "Hey, Maizono, can you play the piano?"  
__. "Yes. Of course. I may not know a whole lot about pianos themselves, but I can tell what a good piano sounds like." _Maizono said, as she tapped the keys._ "Not only is it a genuine antique, but it still sounds lovely too. It'd be great for my next performance to have one accompany me."  
__. "You definitely should."  
__. "I just wish I could play and sing at the same time, though."_ Maizono sighed.  
_."Well, here's something for you to do while we're stuck in here."_ Naegi said as Leon entered the music hall.  
_."Expected to see you here, Maizono, but it strikes me out of character that Naegi and Fujisaki would be here as well. Well, not surprising, considering new area and all, but anything I should keep an eye on the rest of this floor after I've finished looking around here."  
__."I don't think you'll miss anything important, Leon."_ Naegi said.  
_."Well, you'll probably miss Euler's Formula in one of the classrooms, but that's about it."  
__."Euler's Formula?_" Leon asked.  
_."Don't ask." _Maizono and Naegi said at the same time.  
."_Hey, Fujisaki, what kind of music do you like?"_ Leon asked.  
_."You know, I really don't have any specific kind._" Fujisaki said, pondering._ "But I do like listening to music in general. It's very relaxing to listen while programming and all. I like to listen to music when I'm having fun in general, and it usually makes everything more fun. Heck, I'll even listen to music that'll cheer me up when I'm sad and all."  
__."That's good to hear."  
_As Maizono and Naegi walked out, Togami walked in, pursued by Genocider.  
. "Togami." Fujisaki said.  
_. "Ah, yes. A music hall, I would expected such a refined school as Hope's Peak Academy under normal circumstances to have one."  
__. "Of course, we are considered Ultimates." _Celeste said. "_We should have the best possible facilites to showcase our talent, isn't that right?"  
__. "So you're saying you can play some instruments, Togami?"_ Leon commented.  
_. "Of course, all the standard ones, yes. It's part of a typical education for one who would call himself a Togami."  
__. "Uh huh." _Leon said.  
_. "Well, showing any weakness opens the door to defeat. My knowledge is my armor."_ Togami said_.  
__. "Yeah, well, that armor isn't going to do you any good if Genocider Shou decides to filet you, dude." _Leon said, as he left to go explore the rest of the floor.  
Everybody spent the rest of the morning was spent exploring the fourth floor. Then they all met in the cafeteria.  
_. "So what have we learned?_" Naegi said.  
_."The fourth floor doesn't have a way out, just like the first three."_ Maizono replied. _"The eight of us have searched it thoroughly."  
_. Monokuma suddenly appeared. _"Oh, come on, the suspense is eating away at me."  
__. "What?" _Naegi said_.  
__. "I've had a motive saved up for quite a while."_ Monokuma said. "_There's all something waiting for you in the A/V Room. Isn't that, right, Maizono?"  
_Maizono suddenly went pale.  
_."Uppppuuu. Go and find out."  
_Everybody suddenly rushed to the A/V Room. In it, they found a box of fourteen DVDs with each of their names.  
_. "You know, I was originally going to present this as my first motive, but things changed."_ Monokuma admitted as everybody begin watching their videos and were horrified at what they saw.  
_. "Interesting."_ Kirigiri said. _"Why present this now?"  
_. Celeste suddenly remembered something. "Wait, **'**_**That's nine out of the ten.' **__Where's Asahina? Has anyone seen her since before we discovered Hagakure's body?"  
_. And suddenly the room went silent. Not one of them could recall the last time they had seen Asahina.  
_. "Shit."_ Leon said.  
_. "It could be she just didn't want to participate." _Genocider said.  
_."No. Now that I can think about it, it would make sense. It's pretty hard to determine a murder without a cause."_ Kirigiri said.  
_. "Murder!"_ Naegi said. _"But we just came off a class trial. Do we really have to do this again?"  
__."It appears so."_ Celeste said. "_And it also appears that at this moment, Maizono is our most likely suspect. She was the only one who knew about these DVDs before Monokuma revealed them moments ago."  
__. "I wouldn't be so sure."_ Naegi said. "_ We've been here ten days, how do you know someone else didn't also enter the A/V Room during that time?"  
__."I'm willing to bet she hid the body as well."_ Togami said._ "After we can't hold a class trial if we don't find a body. So Maizono, out with it, where did you hide Asahina's body?"  
__."I didn't hide her body! I don't know where she is." _Maizono shouted, before running off.  
_."Well, that's certainly suspicious."_ Togami said.  
_."You just accused my girlfriend of murder." _Naegi said, angrily. _"That's not something anybody could take lightly."  
__."Oh hohoho. When did you and Maizono become an item?"_ Monokuma asked.  
_."Shut up, Monokuma!"_ Naegi and Kirigiri said in unison.  
_."That was weird." _Naegi pointed out.  
."I think one of you owes the other a soda." Leon said. "But more importantly, how are we going to find Asahina's body?"  
.Meanwhile, Naegi went to go find Maizono.  
_."Maizono, what's wrong?  
__."Naegi, listen, I didn't kill Asahina, you have to believe me."  
__."Shush. I believe you, but tell me, why did you never mention that video?"  
_"Because I didn't want it to be real. _My idol group, my friends, they're all in trouble. I have to get out of here!" _Maizono replied._ "What if they're all dead?":  
__"Calm down. Then there's nothing more you can do for them. But how do you even know that that video is completely legitmate?"  
__."But what if it is? Even if my friends aren't dead, what if they all drift apart from each other and abandon me while I'm in here?"  
__."They're not going to abandon you."  
_Maizono's tears streamed down her face.  
_."What makes you say that? I'll be left on my own. The world will forget about me."  
__."Well, first of all, they're not really your friends if they abandon you because of this situation. Second of all, isn't there such a thing as a 'comeback' tour? Third of all, if your idol career stalls because of this, you could always join Leon's band instead. As soon as he figured out how to shelve his own ego, he'd love have you on board. And of fourth of all-  
__."What? Leon's band?"  
__."Yeah, the guy's bored with baseball. Wants to start a punk band. Worse case scenario, your career as an idol dies a painful death, but your musical career takes a hard left into punk-rock territory with Leon."  
__."Naegi, that's insane. I can't ... music with Leon?"  
__."Oh, come on. This situation's so bad, it could fuel ten albums worth of songs! Though I suppose you have to switch to Hard Rock and Post-Grunge instead."  
_.Maizono smiled weakly. _"That's most backwards-case of optimism I have ever heard, Naegi."  
__."Well, that's just how I roll."  
_. She glomped him and grinned.  
_."So I guess you could say I'm ready to rock?"  
_. Naegi slow-clapped.  
_."Naegi, what was the fourth thing you were going to bring up?"  
__."Oh, well, I was just going to bring up the fact that you were never going to be left alone. I'm living proof of that. I did just call you my girlfriend to Togami and all."  
_A moment later...  
_. "Maizono, you're ... crushing me."  
__."Of course I am. You're a veritable human plushie."  
__"Thank you for those complimentary words of analysis." _Naegi deadpanned.  
._"There you are."_ Togami said. _"We're splitting up to search for Asahina's body. I'll be taking the dormitories. Leon, Fujisaki, Kirigiri, you'll take the second floor. Celeste, Naegi, Maizono, you'll take the third floor. I'll take the first floor."  
__."What about the dormitories?"_ Kirigiri asked.  
_."Genocider, take care of it. And ask Monokuma to open up Asahina's room. She may still be in there just like Ishimaru was in his own room."_ Everybody was waiting for Asahina's door to be opened first before departing to their sections.  
_."Ay. Ay. Ay."_ Genocider saluted.  
_."So, Monokuma! Open up Asahina's room!"  
_. Monokuma complied, and immediately set off the smoke alarms.  
_."Ack! I forgot that I had to turn off the power in Asahina's room."  
_. After some coughing and the smoke dissipated, every student rushed in. Asahina's room was smoky black. Everything looked blackened and slightly ashen.  
_."What happened in here?"_ Leon asked.  
.It was Kirigiri who found the answer. She picked up the toaster with a knife jammed into it.  
_."Take a look at this. I think the culprit must have dislodged one of the heating coils to start up some smoke in this room."  
__."And where's Asahina?" _Leon asked. _"Her body isn't in here."  
."Well that answers that question. Everybody split up and go find her. We have the next stage of the game to complete."_ Togami said.  
. Seeing Maizono, Celeste and Naegi off to third floor, Kirigiri, Leon, and Fujisaki worked out who was going to explore what to start.  
_. "Fujisaki. You take the woman's changing rooms. I'll take the library."_ Leon said. _"Kirigiri, you take the classrooms. I'll swing around and grab the man's changing room after I'm done with the library."  
_. Togami was not having much luck on the first floor. He had checked classroom 1-A. It was empty. He had checked classroom 1-B. It was also empty. The nurse's office held no sign of her, and neither did the gymnasium. The Student Store? Forget it.  
. "_This is insane._" Togami muttered to himself. _"Where could that donut loving swimmer be hidden?"  
_. Even after Genocider had reported to him that there was no sign of her in the bath, or the kitchen or the store room, the pair of them had no luck anywhere else.  
. Elsewhere on the third floor, Celeste, Naegi and Maizono weren't finding Asahina either. The physics lab and prep room held no answers. There wasn't a sign of her in the classrooms or the rec room. Kirigiri had no luck in the second floor classrooms, and Leon had no luck in the library or the archives. Eventually all seven had to admit that they weren't finding Asahina's body, and they met up in front of the changing rooms.  
_. "Did anybody find her body?" _Togami asked.  
. Everybody shook their heads.  
_. "Wait a minute, where's Fujisaki?" _Celeste asked.  
_."Oh, no. Did Maizono do her in as well?"_ Genocider accused Maizono.  
_. "That's rich, coming from a serial killer." _Maizono shouted right back.  
_."Enough." _Kirigiri said, getting in-between the two of them, when the men's changing room door opened. There was someone wearing a long-sleeved shirt, navy-blue cargo pants and a cloak.  
_. "Who the hell are you?" _Genocider asked. _"Where's Cherry?"  
__. "How could you not recognize me after how many days? I'm Chihiro Fujisaki."_ Fujisaki replied.  
_."Yeah, okay. Wait, why are you wearing guys clothing, where's your skirt? You're a girl, so how did you get out of the men's changing room?"_ Genocider asked.  
._"Of course, I'm wearing guys clothing. I AM MALE."_

AUTHOR'S NOTE: So the reason I took a break was that it was the end of the semester, and also, I finally got a PS Vita. I spent Christmas week or so, playing the first game and beating it on Mean Difficulty, and also doing a run-through of Dangan Academy. (Which has its flaws, mainly limited dialogue options and locations.). Yes, I wrote 25 Chapters of Fanfiction for a video game franchise I had only ever watched footage of. (most NicoB) Also, I've been replaying the floor discovery parts of Chapter four, in order to add a layer of authenticity. And that part where Naegi calms down Maizono? It was a prototype version of that passage I wrote that turned into SDHSL Smartass.

Hell, I even noticed some details that I don't think anybody else pointed out. For instance, why the hell is the EGYPTIAN Eye of Horus on the second floor of the dormitories? (Then again, the legend of Fenrir comes up in-game as well) And there's this hilarious gag cut to Yamada's angry sprite if you talk to Fujisaki a second time in the introductions after Chihiro has already been introduced to you.

If anyone can tell me how to record PS Vita Footage _**without modding the handheld**__**,**_ I'd love to show off the little nuances of character I've discovered on Youtube or something.


	27. Glued Boxes

Chapter 27:

. As everybody stared at Fujisaki's unexpected reveal, it was Togami who made the first comment.  
_"Well, you've shut the smart-ass up. That's actually quite impressive." _Togami said of Naegi. But it was Leon who brought them back down to Earth.  
_"Say, Fujisaki. Was that your secret?"_ Celeste asked.  
_"What?"_ Fujisaki replied.  
_"Your secret from the last motive?"_ Celeste clarified.  
_"Yes."_  
_"So that's why Monokuma was laughing when Yamada called you 'Mistress Fujisaki'."_ Naegi realized.  
"_What?"  
"A few days ago, before he was executed, Yamada referred to you as female, and Monokuma started laughing. It all makes sense. He knew, and by extension, the mastermind knew. How did he know?"_ Naegi said.  
"_Never mind that now_, _has anyone checked the pool?"_ Leon asked. "_It's the only place we haven't looked yet."_  
. With that, everyone went rushing to the pool, but there was no sign of Asahina.  
_"She's not here._" Celeste said.  
_ "Well, that's obvious."_ Togami said. _"But unless Monokuma has interfered with it, her body can't have vanished."_  
. Naegi stared at the pool.  
_"Guys. We haven't checked the pool yet."  
"What are you talking about?"_ Maizono said. "_We're here at the pool."  
"No, I mean. Look in the pool."_  
. And then everyone saw it. There was a sunken locker in the middle of it.  
_"Oh crap." _Leon said.  
_"Well, this is unexpected."_ Kirigiri said. _"How are we going to do get that locker up?"  
"Easy, we swim."_ Fujisaki said.  
_"Genocider."_ Togami said. _"Go grab that locker."  
"Aye. Aye. 'Captain."_ Genocider said, saluting before diving in.  
_ "You just love bossing her around, don't you?"_ Naegi said.  
_"What good is she otherwise?"_ Togami replied.  
_ "You should treat your girlfriend with more respect."_ Maizono said.  
_"She's not my girlfriend."_ Togami said.  
_"She might as well be. It's not like you'll end up with anyone else."_ Naegi said.  
_"You two really are perfect for each other." _Togami sighed.  
. Genocider was able to lift the locker to the surface but had trouble getting it over the edge until Leon and Kirigiri counterbalanced it over.  
_"Well, we need someway to open it."_ Kirigiri, pulling at it. "It's jammed shut."  
_"So how do we open it?"_ Leon asked.  
. Fujisaki had a sudden idea. "_Wait a minute, it's probably glued shut. There might be something in the chemistry lab that removes the glue."  
__"What substance could it possibly be?"  
_. It was this point that Monokuma interjected via announcement.  
_"Swab some acetone on it! That's what I did last time in order to let you guys discover the body more easily! You know like nail polish! It removes super glue relatively easily."  
__"Super glue?"_ Kirigiri said._ "Interesting. I thought it was regular glue that bound that classroom shut."  
__"Alright, Fujisaki and I will go check the Chemistry Lab for acetone."_ Leon said, as the two rushed out.  
"_Well, this is interesting._" Celeste said. "_Do any of the girls have nail polish remover?"  
__"I don't."_ Genocider said.  
_"I wear gloves. So no."_ Kirigiri interjected.  
_"No."_ Maizono replied. _"If there was anybody who would have had nail polish remover, it would have been Enoshima, you know, the model."  
__"Well, then. I still have Enoshima's key." _Celeste said. _"I'm not happy about this, but since I don't feel it is appropriate for a boy to inspect Enoshima's room, and Maizono is right now our prime suspect. Genocider, would you care to join me?"  
__"Well, that seems oddly convenient." _Naegi said.  
_"Oh yeah, you got it from Junko's corpse after her fight with Sakura." _Maizono said.  
_"Awww, do I have to?" _ Genocider said. "_But I want to say with my White Knight."  
__"Genocider, go with her. And don't kill her, maim her, or stab her in anyway. I don't feel like trying to do a fifth trial before we've even begun the fourth one. Do I make myself clear?_" Togami responded.  
"_Man, you're such a killjoy."_ Genocider snarked. _"Hey, Maizono, maybe someday I'll teach you how to use these scissors."  
__"What? Why?_" Maizono said.  
_"For shits and giggles of course." _Genocider said, laughing manically.  
_"Sorry, I'll have to pass."  
__"Just so you know, the offer's still good."  
__"Okay."  
__"Come on, Genocider."_ Celeste said, as she briskly walked away from the pool.  
. As Leon and Fujisaki strolled up through the third floor, Leon's mind was plagued with several questions, but only one could be answered.  
_"So... Fujisaki... you were a crossdresser."  
__"Yes."  
__"Why?"  
__"I was frail. And constantly bullied for not being 'man' enough."  
__"How? I mean, you know, how did you pull it off? Did you suddenly start going to school in female clothes?"  
__"You're asking this now? Right now? While we're in the middle of a murder investigation?"  
__"Yeah. Otherwise, it's going to be a big distraction. None of your classmates realized or noticed? They weren't like? 'Hey, Chihiro, why are you dressed as a girl now?'"  
__"I did it before entering a new school. Before I made the switch, I had been homeschooled. Before getting a job in Towa City, my dad moved around a lot so I wouldn't have been able to stay at a school long enough to adjust. It's not like I stuck around somewhere for people to have noticed."  
__"Okay. That sounds plausible."  
__"'That sounds plausible.' What are you talking about? We're trying to pry open a locker that's superglued shut in order to find a dead body so we can solve a murder that someone here committed. And how I managed to pull off my former crossdressing 'lifestyle' only seems 'plausible' to you. What are you, one of those guys that nitpicks everything online at the smallest details? Oh, no. Green eyes! Ruined forever!"  
__"What? No. That's not what I meant."  
__"You're picking up some of Naegi's habits. Have to question every little detail. But I suppose neither of you have heard of the black box theory."  
__"The black box theory?"  
__"Yeah, how do I put it? Just because you don't know a process works doesn't mean that you can't predict the output based off of input. Like a computer. You don't need to know programming in order to input something for an output."  
__"Ah, I see."  
__"A gets you B. And why or how isn't as important as the fact that A will always get you B."  
_. Celeste was really starting to regret asking Genocider to join her instead of Kirigiri.  
_"So what's your real name? I doubt it's Celeste Ludenberg. I know it's just an alias. Ooh, let me guess it's your middle name and your mother's maiden name put together."  
__"My name is Celeste Ludenberg."  
__"Well, have you gotten it legally changed to 'Celeste Ludenberg' yet?"  
__"What?"  
__"So why didn't you ask for Kirigiri to join you?"  
__"Because I figured your love and loyalty to Togami all but guarantees means you didn't murder Asahina. After all, in our current predicament, if you murdered her, either you would die or Togami would die."  
__"Correct-a-mundo. Besides, it's not my style. And in the past, I only murdered males I found attractive."  
__"Never say 'correct-a-mundo' again."  
__"Why not?"  
__"Because it sounds disturbing."  
__"Oh, that's rich. Coming from someone who attempts to look like a statue in a gothic cathedral. Wait, how do I know you didn't murder Asahina?"  
__"I have some proof. At least I think I do."  
__"And that is?"  
__"I'm saving it for the class trial. You shouldn't have a leg up on information. It might influence your deductions."  
__"Me deducing? Hate to say it, but I'm probably have to do guard duty now that Yams and Hagakure are dead."  
__"Ah."  
_. The two had reached Enoshima's room. Celeste opened the door. Everything appeared exactly the same as it had been the last time Celeste had been here so many days ago. The bed was in the same condition as it had been, neatly tucked, almost military style.  
_"So this is the room of the model? I never met her."  
__"Model, Fashionista, whatever."  
__"You know for a model, she sure likes military magazines."  
__"Yeah, we found that out last time we were in here."  
__"Hidden depths?"  
__"What do you mean by that?"  
__"I mean, personal traits that didn't match with outside appearances."  
__"Like how Fukawa had you inside her all along?"  
__"Please, everybody has a dark secret that they keep hidden away. And I'm willing to bet so do you."  
_. And on that tense note,Celeste and Genocider immediately began scoping around the room looking for the oh-so-important nail polish. They found many of Enoshima's rather 'personal garnments'.  
"_Oh those."_ Monokuma said, appearing on the bedroom's monitor, laughing his ass off. _"Those are amazing. Bulletproof, Blade-resistant, you name it. But they're not spear-proof."  
__"You know what?" _Genocider said. _"For the sake of all that is decent, let's put those back before I have to listen to Monokuma continue on this spiel. He's wasting our time."  
__"Agreed. Monokuma, I do not care for you." _Celeste said.  
_"You never cared for him in the first place, did you?" _Genocider noted, laughing maniacally.  
. Celeste smiled. "I guess not."  
. Kirigiri was still working on the locker. She, Naegi, Togami, and Maizono had flipped it over with the air vent facing down into the pool in order to drain the locker of some of the water.  
_"So this is why it was too heavy for Genocider to get over the edge._" Kirigiri said, as she heard a thump throughout the locker.  
_"What was that?"_ Maizono said.  
_"Probably the corpse." _Kirigiri replied.  
_"'Probably the corpse'. That's not something most teenagers say." _Naegi snarked.  
_"Well, this isn't exactly a normal scenario for teenagers." _Togami said.  
_"What do you think has gone on outside?" _Naegi said.  
_"People are probably looking for us."_ Maizono said.  
_"Yeah, well, they may not be satisfied with what they find." _Naegi snarked.  
_"Hey, stop that. Nobody is coming to rescue you!" _Monokuma shouted over the monitor.  
_"Of course not. But we'll be damned if we don't try to rescue ourselves."_ Naegi said, shouting at the monitor.  
_"He really is brazen."_ Togami sighed.  
_"I think he picked it up from the second trial." _Maizono remarked.  
_"Of course, when there was still only the first trial, it could still be considered a fluke. Besides we weren't even told the rules about said class trial until after the first pair of deaths."_ Kirigiri said.  
_"You know, now that I think about it, I can't imagine what would the public's reaction be to this."_ Togami said.  
_"Probably take the footage and try to sell it as some dumb 'reality TV' show."_ Kirigiri said.  
_"You know as someone who's been asked to do a reality TV show with my idol group, someone would do that."_ Maizono sighed.  
_"You were asked to do a reality TV show?"_ Kirigiri said. _"What happened?"  
__"My group and I turned it down."_ Maizono said. "_Because I wanted to call the shots on editting, and run it like a sorta of behind-the-scenes with my group and how we recorded music, maybe show some unused takes on songs, and stuff like that.  
__"You were trying to turn it into a technical show_." Togami said. _"You were trying to turn smut into higher class art."  
__"Excuse me, my idol group and I are not smut."_ Maizono said, offended.  
_"Yeah, you're certainly what would be called 'high class'."_ Monokuma said over the monitor. _"Would you like me to prove it?"  
__"Go ahead!"_ Maizono said, confidently. _"I'd like to see you try."  
__"All right, time to dial a Hope Peak's Academy student from years past. Prepare to talk to her!"  
_Then there was a pause, and an excitable girl could be heard.  
_"All right, Monokuma. I'll only talk about music."_ someone sounded over the intercom, and for once it wasn't Monokuma's robotic voice.  
_"Hey y'all, listen, I wanted to talk to you guys a lot earlier. But Monokuma wouldn't let me. However, now he's patched me in from outside. Didn't want me to 'interfere' with the spectacle he's got going on.  
__"You can't be serious."_ Togami said. "_We're talking to another Hope's Peak Academy student.  
__"Hey-say the music from Maizono and her idol group is smut!" _Monokuma's voice could be heard in the background.  
_"Wait, Sayaka Maizono is in here?"_ the girl was speaking over the intercom. _"Ooo, I'm more of a punk rock fan myself, but I like your pop stuff as well."  
__"Thank you."_ Maizono said.  
_"That dorky blond guy with the glasses was calling her music 'smut'. Noooo. As a former pop musician, how dare he? He has no taste! That freaky four-eyed lemon."  
_. Togami was in utter shock. First another Hope's Peak Academy student was on the intercom, at Monokuma's request, and this girl was saying that smut was good, and now he was getting called a 'four-eyed' lemon. And he had thought Genocider Shou being in love with him and the murdering had made this school the strangest situation he had ever been placed in.  
_"Hey, Monokuma!"_ the girl chanted. _"I can't hear them."  
__"Of course you can't hear them. Only I can."_ Monokuma shouted.  
_"Party pooper."  
__"Can't have you ruin my whole plan, now can I?"  
__"Ehhhh, whatever you say. Now which one are you again?" _the girl asked.  
_"Enough. I'm ending this call now!"_ Monokuma said, as he hung up the former student. "_Well, folks, that, uh... didn't go as planned. As a matter of fact, I wasn't planning on having past students appear. But I have to say, hearing Togami getting called a 'four-eyed lemon' was_ _vastly entertaining."  
_. Kirigiri was deep in thought.  
_"Hmmm, I wonder. That other person didn't seem to know Monokuma's true identity."  
__"Of course, she didn't."_ Togami said._ "Otherwise, she could have just told us, and you really think Monokuma would let everything fall apart like that?_"  
_"You think she's in the league with him?"_ Maizono asked.  
_"Probably. I don't think Monokuma would patch someone in who was against him." _Kirigiri said.  
_"She could just be an airhead."_ Maizono said. _"I mean, she came up with a creative insult for Togami, someone who does that can't be all bad."  
__"Maizono, I tire of your BS."_ Togami gritted his teeth. "_But more importantly, you know what this means. It means that the mastermind can recruit other people. This isn't a one-man show."  
__"So that increases the scope of what the mastermind can work with."_ Kirigiri remarked. _"How many people does Monokuma have working for him? And did he draw any other former Hope's Peak Academy students into joining him? Maybe that Physicist who worked on the air purifier in the physics lab as well?"  
__"He probably coerced them."_ Naegi commented._ "Took advantage of some emotional foothold. Not unlike what he's been doing here in order to incite murders among us."  
__"That is a surprisingly deep assessment." _Togami said. "_But if he coerced them, why did she sound so upbeat?"  
__"And what if she joined Monokuma's operator, the mastermind, willingly?"_ Kirigiri asked.  
And it was at that moment, Leon and Fujisaki returned from the chemistry lab.  
_"Well, did you find anything?"_ Kirigiri asked.  
_"No luck."_ Leon admitted.  
_"But that's strange."_ Naegi said. _"I mean, Monokuma said he had done it before. So there must be some within the physical confines of the school."  
__"You think maybe it's on the fifth floor or any floor above?" _Fujisaki said.  
. The answer was no. Celeste and Genocider had returned from Enoshima's room.  
_"We're in luck."_ Celeste announced. _"There was some in Enoshima's room."  
__"Oh yeah, I remember seeing some of it there."_ Fujisaki said.  
_"Give it here."_ Kirigiri said, reaching her hand out. "_I'm going to begin swabbing the glue that surrounds the locker."  
_. Celeste handed over the nail polish and it took Kirigiri about half-an-hour to swab all around, and to finally loosen the superglue enough to open the locker. And inside, what they had all known was confirmed.  
". _**"Ding Dang Dong. We've got a corpse here. After a brief period of investigation, we'll be commencing a class trial."  
**_. Aoi Asahina, the ultimate swimmer, was dead. Her corpse laid there, motionless inside the locker. Her eyes were closed, and immediately Kirigiri picked up on a detail."  
_"Some more wooden fragments. Just like Hagakure. And here's some glass fragments."  
__"It's time for Monokuma File Number Four." _Monokuma appeared suddenly to hand out the files.  
. Immediately, Naegi checked the file. It never got easier.

**"Victim: Aoi Asahina. Time of Death: 1 AM.  
****Cause of Death: Multiple instances of oxygen deprivation.  
** **Other Notes: Victim suffered several severe hits across the back before passing out."**

_"Alright, so who's standing guard this time?"_ Celeste asked.  
_"How about Genocider and you, Celeste?"_ Togami said. _"Since we obviously know they aren't the murderers."_  
_"But my White Knight..."_ Genocider pleaded.  
_"Enough, you're the only person whom we know isn't a murderer right now." _Togami said.  
_"And you want to explore."_ Celeste said. _"I admit, standing guard over Asahina doesn't make my stomach feel at ease, but I suppose it's a reasonable suggestion as any."_  
And with that, everybody split up. Before Naegi and Maizono could leave, Kirigiri called them over.  
_"Look, wood fragments, and shards of glass. Can I count on the two of you to go to the rec room and give it a look over again? I'll be here inspecting the body."_  
. The two agreed, and made their way up to the recreation room.  
_ "I can't believe it. We've already had three trials and now we're going to have a fourth one."_ Maizono said as the two opened the door to the recreation room.  
. The glue from the previous trial had been cleaned up, and the two began looking around.  
_ "Hey, look at this."_ Naegi said._ "This locker has been moved up."  
"It has?_" Maizono asked.  
_ "Yeah, I can tell. I'm pretty sure these 'Monokuma bottles' weren't stuffed behind here before."  
"I think they used to be on the shelf."  
"What are these figurines in here?"_  
_ "They're chess pieces." _Togami had shown up.  
_"Togami!"_ the two said in unison.  
_"Well, I can see I wasn't the only one who picked up on the glue possiblity."  
"What do you mean?"_  
_"I mean, this is the second trial in a row where glue plays a central role. This game is showing signs of staleness." _Togami said, sighing, eyes darting towards the pool cues, remembering the last trial._  
"Togami? What are you blabbering about?" _Naegi asked.  
_"I'm working it out._" Togami said, as he began pacing around the room. With those words, Naegi and Maizono let Togami be. The two headed down into the first floor to get a look at the victim's lodgings, Asahina's room.  
_"Wait, Maizono, I don't think I should go in there."_ Naegi objected.  
_ "Our lives are in danger." _Maizono pointed out. _"And we're running out of people."_  
. The smoke had cleared from Asahina's room. The toaster with the knife was still there. Since the toaster was unplugged from the outlet, Naegi took it upon himself to gaze inside.  
_ "Very interesting."  
"What is?"_ Maizono asked.  
_"It looks like the knife was used to dislodge the heating coils."  
"Do you think that was what caused the smoke in Asahina's room?"  
"Well, it sure wasn't the broken dial in front."_  
. And then Naegi remembered something he had found before the previous trial had even begun. He was playing a hunch, and if his hunch was right...  
_"Hold on, Maizono. I have to get something out of my room. In the meantime, can you find a handwriting sample of Asahina's?"  
__"Uh... sure."  
_. Naegi ran back to his own room, and unlocked his door. He opened his desk and retrieved the note. He had put it in there after the last trial.  
'_**Sorry, guys, I broke the toaster.'  
**_, Naegi brought the note back to Maizono.  
_"What is this?"  
__"I found a note before last trial next to the blown up microwave."_ Naegi replied.  
_"I see."  
__"Did you find a handwriting sample?"  
__"Right here, from Asahina's desk."  
_. Naegi compared the handwriting. Sure enough, the note and the piece of paper Maizono had procured matched up. Asahina had written the note, and thus had broken the toaster.  
_"Maizono..."  
__"Yes, Naegi?"  
__"These two notes... their handwriting matches."  
_.And a little while later, time was up.  
_"All right, folks. It's time for the fourth class trial."_ Monokuma announced over the monitor.  
. Togami flexed his head. _"It's showtime."  
_. Fujisaki twiddled his thumbs. _"We have to go through this game._"  
. Leon began punching the air. _"This never gets easier."  
__"You think we'll find the culprit this time."  
__"We found the culprit the last three times. What's making number four so different? We'll be staring at the culprit this time just like_ all the other times."  
_"If I'm right, it'll throw everyone for such a loop, the results may not be pretty."_ Naegi noted.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Sorry that this chapter was a bit shorter the previous ones, but it took all I could come up with to actually have the investigation play out and not jump straight to the trial. About half of this chapter's content was stuff I hadn't planned on, but which seemed to slide right in.


	28. Sudoku Rewind

Chapter 28:

So it's been 365 days since I started SDHSL Smartass. To make up for the last chapter being slightly shorter, this one is slightly longer. I had originally planned to post this March 30th. But I figured... why not release it a bit early?

. With another signpost up for the departed Asahina, Monokuma had given the trial room for trial number four an Egyptian theme. Hieroglyphics adorned the wall, giving the room a distinct color palette of yellow.  
_ "I wonder if anybody here can read these."_ Leon commented.  
Monokuma chuckled. _"Unless one of you specializes in Ancient Egyptian or are a member of the Novoselic royal family, nobody here should be able to."  
"Hey, Monokuma, why don't you go the whole nine yards and put on Sandopolis Act 2?"_ Chihiro deadpanned. _"I mean, we've got the yellow and the Egyptian motifs and the dead. I think Sandopolis Act 2 would be a fitting theme song."  
_. Togami pushed his glasses up his nose. _"This trial is getting interesting. The suspects are narrowing. For each of us, we have a one in seven chance."  
__"Yo, Togami, there are eight of us."_ Leon said.  
"_Ah, yes. But here's the thing, all of us know whether or not we committed the murder."_ Togami said. _"We just have to choose someone else. There are seven other options."  
_Monokuma chuckled.  
**"Wait a minute, does that mean he doesn't expect us to solve this one? So does that mean...**" Naegi thought.  
_"This murder is indeed strange."_ Celeste commented. _"For one, Asahina's body was hidden in such a manner that nobody could stumble onto it for the class trial."  
__"What's strange about that?" _Leon said._ "It's natural to hide the evidence."  
__"Actually, it's not."_ Togami said. "_The method to escape in this school life of mutual killing is to murder a classmate while convincing everybody else that it was impossible for you to do it. So you would want to leave the body in such a way that it could be easily discovered. If the body is never discovered, then there's no way we can hold a class trial."  
__"Yeah, no. This is more 'traditional' murder than anything else."_ Genocider Shou commented. _"And as we all know this life ain't nothing like anything 'traditional'."  
__"Yes, well, we will find this culprit or else my name isn't Byakuya L. Togami."  
__"What's with the sudden enthusiasm, Togami?"_ Fujisaki asked.  
_"This culprit is much more devious than our prior culprits."_ Togami said. "_Such intellectual challenge excites me."  
__"Sexually?"_ Genocider Shou asked with a perverted look on her face.  
_"Ew, no. What kind of man do you take me for, woman?" _Togami scoffed.  
_"And there's the lowly hanging punch line that Genocider loves so much."_ Maizono snarked.  
_"Hey, it's low hanging fruit, get your idioms right, you logathrim!"_ Genocider argued.  
_"So you're going to raise her to the power of what?"_ Fujisaki snarked. _"Princess? Queen? Empress?"  
_"_Oh, shut up."_ Genocider said.  
_"Wait, your middle initial is 'L'?" _Naegi asked.  
_"If you make a frickin' Death Note reference, I will ask Genocider to kill you. Because of my hobby of reading case files from when I was younger, it now means that I've heard about that show way too much."_ Togami said.  
_"Oh, that. Well, that's actually not was I going for."_ Naegi admitted. "_I was actually going to point out something else."  
__"What is it?"  
__"Are you aware that your initials spell 'BLT'?"  
__"Like the sandwich?"_ Maizono asked.  
_"Yeah, that's exactly it. Like the sandwich!"  
__"I'm sorry, what?"_ Kirigiri asked. "_You guys have completely lost me."  
__"You've never heard about of a BLT?"_ Naegi asked.  
_"That settles it. For Master and mine's first date when we get out of here, we're having BLTs!"_ Genocider hopped up and down excitedly.  
_"No, we're not." _Togami said. _"Stop that. Stop that right now."  
__"Yes, sir."  
_. Arms folded, Kirigiri sighed. Her gloves rippled slightly over her hands.  
_"Can we get back on track?"_ Monokuma asked. "_Not that I don't like hearing you guys converse like this, but you have a murder to solve."  
__"Well, I'm sorry that we need a certain amount of banter to get our minds moving again after finding the corpses of our dead classmates!"_ Naegi snarked.  
. And the air in the trial room suddenly got much heavier. It was trial number four, they should have been used to it by now. But they weren't. It never got easier. Their lives toed the line between almost comical and almost deadly.  
_"But yeah, I agree."_ Leon said. _"Asahina's body was not in a place to be discovered. Why?"  
__"Time."_ Kirigiri said.  
_"What?" _Fujisaki said.  
_"The more time that passed between the murder and the discovery the more evidence could shift around and be destroyed." _Kirigiri said.  
_"No way, we know when Asahina's died. It was approximately 1 AM._" Leon said.  
_"Well, we've encountered this before, with Ishimaru."_ Kirigiri said. _"Let's be clear, when's the last time any of us actually saw Asahina?"  
_. Naegi thought back. _"Now that I think about it. The last time any of us saw Asahina was before we found Hagakure's corpse. She organized that pickup basketball game that we never actually played."  
_. Fujisaki spoke up. "_I remember searching for Asahina because I hadn't seen her in quite a while."  
__"Just because she was murdered at 1 AM, doesn't mean she was murdered at 1 AM last night."_ Kirigiri said.  
_"So the culprit had this a long time planning?" _Celeste said.  
_"It appears so." _Togami said. _"But on which day was Asahina murdered? Can we narrow it down to which 1 AM?"  
__"Yes, I think I can." _Naegi said. _"I found this note next to the toaster. It was written in Asahina's handwriting."  
__"Toaster? You say?" _Fujisaki said._ "Then does that anything to do with the state of her room?"  
__"Well, that's convenient._" Genocider Shou said. "_When did you find it?"  
__"After Hagakure's body announcement."_ Naegi replied.  
_"Wait, are you saying that she was killed before the third trial even took place?"_ Fujisaki said.  
_"No way. Too much time has passed."_ Leon said. _"We'll never figure this out."  
__"Actually, wait."_ Naegi said. _"Let's try looking at this from the motive perspective. Monokuma said that those videos were the motive this time."  
__"That's true."  
__"So who saw the movies before anyone else?"  
__"We only know of one person who saw the videos before Monokuma formally presented them."_ Togami said. _"Maizono."  
__"It's not me."  
__"But can you prove it?" _Togami said._ "Naturally, you are suspicious. You're the only one among us who saw the videos before Monokuma presented them to us."  
_. Maizono thought back. And kept thinking back.  
_"No response?"_ Genocider said. "_Well, I think that wraps it up."  
__"Hagakure." _Maizono replied. _"I remember seeing Hagakure as I hurried out of the A/V Room after seeing the video. I didn't think of it much at the time."  
__"Well, that's convenient."_ Togami said. _"We can't ask Hagakure for his testimony, so we have no idea whether or you're lying or not.  
__"Wrong. Togami._" Celeste said. "_Before the third trial, I found a CD in the microwave with Yaushiro Hagakure's name. It seems his video was viewed before the third trial."  
__"What?" _Leon asked. "_Why didn't this come up earlier?"  
__"Because I thought it would be integral to the third trial, but Yaushiro Hagakure's CD never came up."_ Celeste replied.  
_"It appears that we have to unsolve the third trial."_ Kirigiri noted.  
_"Unsolve?" _ Naegi said.  
_"Yes, unsolve?"_ Kirigiri said. _"It is quickly become apparent that this trial is wrapped up with the third trial."  
__"We know Yamada killed Hagakure. He died at 1 AM before the night before Fujisaki found the body." _Leon said. "_Wait a minute, Celeste! It could have been you."  
__"Whatever do you mean?"_ Celeste smiled.  
_"You know exactly, what are you talking about?_" Fujisaki asked.  
_"Come on, Togami. You and I both know she's capable of murder. You hijacked her plan for crying out a loud. Maizono, back me up."_ Leon said.  
. Togami pushed his glasses up.  
_"Well, that is true. After all, Maizono was there."  
__"Wait, hold the phone."_ Kirigiri said flatly. "_When was this?"  
__"Okay, you know how you found me unconscious?_" Maizono asked.  
_"Yeah?_" Kirigiri said. _"We found you...next to the pool."  
__"Next to a trail of blood."_ Maizono added.  
_"What trail of blood?_" Kirigiri said. "_Are you sure you're not misremembering?"  
__"In this environment, I know blood when I see it." _Maizono replied calmly and surely.  
_"Woah, woah. Woah."_ Fujisaki interjected._ "Back the hell up. First of all, what happened with Celeste, Togami, Maizono, and Leon? Then we can figure out why Maizono went to the pool.  
__"Well, that is what happened, so naturally."_ Naegi said.  
_"Upupupupu. This is out of control for you, Naegi."_ Monokuma chuckled. "_Usually, you're the one who calls the shots with trials, and figures it out, but the train appears to be running past you this time."  
__"Shut up."_ Naegi said. _"Alright, somebody explain, what happened."  
__"Since it was my murder attempt, I guess I'll start._" Celeste said.  
_"Your murder attempt?" _Naegi was not expectingly to hear those words. But Celeste had just put it out there like it was no big deal. Fourth trial, since they had reached that point, it wouldn't have been strange that there was bound to be a failed murder attempt that ended with both participants alive.  
_"I was heading back to my room, when I saw a shadow go into the school zone. I followed it up to the third floor, from the way the figure headed it went into the Physics Lab. I peeked into the Physics Lab, and since there was no one in there, I assumed there must be someone in the Physics Prep Room."  
__"I'm not sure I believe your story."_ Togami interjected.  
_"Believe what you want to believe."_ Celeste commented. _"Anyway, I stowed away in the Art Storage Room. And that's where I noticed something strange."  
__"What's that?"  
__"A wet hammer."  
__"Huh?"_ Naegi said.  
"_You heard me, a wet hammer. I think... I think that was the hammer that killed Asahina." _Celeste replied.  
_"And it was the hammer that killed Hagakure." _Kirigiri surmised, reassessing the third trial's murder weapon._  
__"Hold up!"_ Leon said. _"It was a pool cue that killed Hagakure. Fujisaki and I saw the glue  
__that was used in an attempt to put the cue back together so there would be no evidence! Yamada knocked it over."  
__"Yes, he did."_ Kirigiri said. "_But I believe that Yamada was not the one who procured the glue. I believe that was someone else. And that someone else is the actual murderer. Of course, does anyone remembering seeing anybody else with glue?_"  
Everybody was silent.  
_"I'll take that as a no. Nobody knows who took the glue from the storage room."_ Kirigiri said.  
_"Wait, how do you know that the glue comes from the storage room?"_ Leon said.  
_"Well, where else would it have come from?"_ Kirigiri argued.  
_"Fair point."_ Fujisaki conceded.  
_"So does this mean that our understanding of the third trial was wrong?"_ Togami asked.  
_"Actually, no. No one would have thought that the art room had any connection. There was no connection until Celeste mentioned it just now. Especially when the pool cue satisfies all the requirements anyway._" Kirigiri said.  
_"This is insane."_ Leon said. _"After all that, the third trial..."  
__"Sudoku."_ Kirigiri muttered.  
_"Sudoku? That game with 9 3 by 3 boxes." _Fujisaki asked.  
_"Yeah."  
__"What do you mean, by 'Sudoku'?_" Naegi asked.  
_"I mean, that this trial is sorta of like a Sudoku puzzle. You solve something in one corner, next thing you know, you've got a column filled across on the other side of the puzzle. Like or not, with the way revelations are progressing, it's almost like a Sudoku puzzle."  
__"Was that the intention?"_ Fujisaki said. _"It seems almost too convenient."  
__"I doubt it."_ Kirgiri said. _"After all, there's no way, the culprit could have known about all the events that have happened. So why don't we let Celeste finish her story?"  
__"As I was saying, after waiting a while, I figured that I would go check the Physics Prep Room. Nothing there." _Celeste continued. _"Eventually, I decided that I would see this through to the end. So I went back, and retrieved some knives, and went back."  
__"I'm calling Bullshit!"_ Naegi said.  
"_What?"_ Celeste asked.  
_"You heard me."_ Naegi said. "_And I can prove it."  
__"How so?"_ Maizono asked, appalled, but not really surprised. She felt that the evidence was start to pile up on Celeste, and yet something about it seemed off.  
_"There's no way you could have gotten those knives out of the kitchen."_ Naegi said. _"The kitchen closes at 10 PM! At nighttime!"  
__"Huh? So does this mean Celeste did it?"_ Leon asked. _"I knew it!"  
__"No, it means, her story is off." _Naegi said. _"If you could only see a shadow, it would have been nighttime."  
__"Naegi, use your head. When did I ever say I got them from the kitchen?"_ Celeste replied.  
_"Then that means ... your murder attempt was premeditated even before you saw that shadow._" Kirigiri said. _"Why?"  
__"Do you remember the last trial? And the motive? Turns out that money was still on the table."_ Celeste said.  
"_You'd kill for money?"_ Naegi said. _"But couldn't you have made enough money from gambling exploits?"  
__"I made enough to survive, but not enough for what I wanted."  
__"And that was?"_ Maizono asked.  
_"A European Castle." _Celeste replied.  
_"Are you serious?_" Fujisaki said. _"A European Castle. You wanted money for a European Castle!"  
__"With butlers. Don't forget the butlers!" _Celeste said.  
_"Okay, ignoring Celeste's insanely impractical motive." _Togami said_. "Can we get back on topic?"  
__"No,no,no. I want to hear the logical extension of this." _Naegi said. _"Say you get the castle and the butlers, then what?"  
__"Then I live happily." _Celeste said, smiling. "_And my butlers pamper me."  
__"How?"  
__"In any way, I desire."_ Celeste said.  
_"And then you get lazy and fat."_ Naegi said. "_Some dream."  
__"What? No." _Celeste said. _"Why would I get lazy and fat?"  
__"Because you don't have to fend for yourself. How do you intend to exercise?"  
__"I would have plenty of male butlers to attend to my every need. That's all I need to exercise."  
__"How do you plan on burning calories with only your ey-? YOOOOOOO."  
__"What?"  
__"Are you saying what I think you're saying? Because that's not going to work."  
__"I have countermeasures. And a__re __**you **__saying what I think __**you're**__ saying?_"  
_"Is Celeste saying what Naegi thinks she's saying?"_ Maizono asked.  
_"I think she is."_ Genocider said, snipping her scissors in the air.  
_"Hey, put those away, you're making me anxious." _Leon commented.  
_"Well... moving on, I also wanted something that we all wanted... to leave."_ Celeste said. "_Extreme environments create extreme people. Are you really all that surprised?"  
__"I guess not. But it's still hard to hear from a friend."_ Naegi sighed.  
_"We are not friends._" Togami felt the need to interject. _"With the exception of you and Maizono, none of us had ever met before we were all trapped in here. Acquaintances at best. Stalkers at worst." _Togami felt the need to glance over at Genocider._ "You'd best remember that. For all your snark, you're still an idealist. Not everybody views the world through your eyes."  
__"I guess you're right." _Naegi said. _"Okay, ignoring her deep-seated need for attention, Celeste, continue."  
__"Excuse me?"  
__"You just admitted you wanted an European castle and a reverse harem. If that doesn't signal a deep-seated need for attention, I don't know what does."  
__"Naegi?"  
__"Yes?"  
__"Fuck you."  
__"Sorry, Maizono will have that covered... eventually... as soon as it can be done without reprecussions."  
__"Naegi!_" Maizono interjected.  
. While Leon started to laugh his ass off, Monokuma continued to eat his popcorn.  
_"Is Celeste going to become another player in Naegi's harem? That would make every female still alive except Genocider!" _Monokuma said as he munched on buttery popcorn.  
_"I don't have a harem! Monokuma!"_ Naegi said. "_What is this? A Dating Sim game?"  
__"You know, I might retool this murderous school life into that. I'd call it, Dangan Academy! I like the sound of that!"  
__"You wouldn't dare._" Naegi said, fearfully.  
_"Nah, not despairing enough for you, personally, Makoto Naegi. Maybe for the rest of the guys in the world. But not for you."  
__"Oh, piss off. You overgrown excuse for a teddy bear." _Celeste said. "_Ooo, throwing vulgar insults around is fun. I might do it more often."  
__"Theodore Roosevelt did not manufacture an icon for you to run it through a woodchipper. And you think it's endearing." _Togami said, adding to the insult.  
_"Why do you think I chose to be a robot teddy Bear?" _Monokuma said. _"It was off-putting from what you'd normally see."  
__"Or maybe because it's in your name!_" Naegi pointed out. _"Kinda non-indicative if you aren't a bear if you have the name '_Monokuma'!"  
_"Celeste! Continue your story!" _Maizono screeched. She had a bad feeling about this conversation.  
_"Alright, so I'm with the knives. Waiting in the Physics Prep Room."_ Celeste continued._ "When both Leon and Togami show up."  
__"I see." _Kirigiri said. "_And then what happened?"  
__"She held the knives to both of our throats."_ Togami said.  
_"You mean to tell me, you almost killed my White Knight?_" Genocider shouted.  
_"Yes, the rules say that you can kill a maximum of two people."_ Celeste said.  
_"Leon?"_ Naegi asked.  
_"That is true." _Leon admitted.  
_"So that means Celeste didn't kill Asahina."_ Naegi said.  
_"How do you figure that?"_ Genocider asked.  
_"I get it. Celeste can't kill Leon, Togami, AND Asahina. That makes three people. And that's against Monokuma's rules."_ Fujisaki said.  
. Monokuma spat out his popcorn. Someone's defense for being innocent was they could and were attempting to murder two people after the victim's death. Talk about scenarios that had never crossed his mind.  
_"So Celeste's defense for why she couldn't have murdered Asahina is that she attempted to murder two people after Asahina's death."_ Leon said._ "That's messed up."  
__"And yet it's the truth."_ Kirigiri said. _"Not exactly the defense someone usually has. But it does the job."  
__"Yeah, that sums it up." _Naegi said. "_We can eliminate Celeste from murdering Asahina."  
__"And then Togami wrestled the knife from Celeste, and got it to Celeste's throat." _Leon added, continued the story. _"After Maizono walked in."  
__"Wait, why were you walking around?" C_eleste asked.  
_"I saw Celeste get one of her knives from the storage room." _Maizono said.  
_"What do you mean?"_ Naegi said.  
_"So where did the other knive come from?" _Fujisaki asked.  
_"One came from the kitchen. We did agree that my murder attempt was pre-mediated."_ Celeste said. _"I pre-mediated with one knive from the kitchen. And then when I saw the figure, I decided to grab another knife from the storage room."  
__"So let me get this straight, after Maizono walks in, and is seeing the scene playing out. We've got Togami holding a knife to Celeste who's holding a knife to Leon."_ Naegi said.  
_"That's right."_ Celeste said.  
_"And then Togami tells Celeste to murder me."_ Leon said.  
_"Ah, come on. Do the gambits never stop piling up here?"_ Fujisaki asked, exapaserated. "_So_ _how did Celeste get out of it?"  
__"I dropped my knife."_ Celeste said. "_Togami, himself, can't murder three people. But if I murder Leon, that doesn't count against Togami. Isn't that right, Monokuma?"  
__"That's correct." _Monokuma agreed.  
_"Which means, Togami can't have murdered Asahina either."_ Naegi said. "_The same reasoning for why Celeste can't be the culprit also holds up for Togami."  
__"Oh, come on."_ Leon said, scratching his head. "_This is ridiculous. Defenses are coming to 'But your honor, I can't have murdered the victim, I was too busy _**_threatening_** _other people__ at the time._"  
. Kirigiri was starting to put the pieces together.  
_"So now we can finally prove why Maizono isn't the culprit."  
__"Another one of us eliminated from the possibility?" _Togami said. "How?"  
_"Maizono, how did you know to go to the pool? I think it was no coincidence that you ended up so close to Asahina's body."  
__"Well, I found a note. In the Physics Prep Room."_ Maizono said. "_It said to come to the pool. And when I did, I was told not to interfere and then knocked out."  
__"She could have knocked herself out." _Togami argued. "_None of us saw her go to the pool."  
__"But there's no way she could have knocked herself out. Where the bruises were proves it."_ Kirigiri said. "_Now what do you think might have been used to knock Maizono out?"  
__"Another hammer."  
__"Was it the same one that was used for Asahina?" _Celeste said.  
_"No. But I wouldn't be surprised if it was the same one for Hagakure."  
__"One hammer to kill Asahina. Another to knock out Maizono, and kill Hagakure. But wait, it was Yamada who killed Hagakure. Is it possible that Yamada was also the one who knocked Maizono out?" _Naegi asked.  
_"Yes. But it's inconcievable that he's the one who murdered Asahina."_ Kirigiri argued.  
_"Don't tell me, you're going with the 'can't commit three murders' rule." _Leon said.  
_"Yeah."_ Kirigiri said._ "Asahina was already killed at this point. And Yamada also killed Hagakure. It'd be a problem if Yamada killed both, and Maizono died by his hand in the middle. Yamada must not have cared if Maizono lived or died. He'd have a vested interest in seeing her live otherwise."  
__"So it can't be Yamada."  
__"There must be a reason he targeted Hagakure."  
__"His mentioning of 'Yaushiro' before he was executed might have to be explained."_ Naegi said.  
_"It's very strange that he didn't say Hagakure. Nobody here has the last name of Yaushiro."  
__"Everybody show your StudentIDs." _Togami said. _"I want to be sure."  
__"Don't waste your time. He was referring to me._" Celeste admitted. "_My real name is Takeo Yaushiro."  
__"Yamada was referring to you?"_ Togami said.  
_"Yes."  
__"But why? And how did he know your name?"_ Naegi asked.  
_"I'm not sure. I didn't even know he knew it until he mentioned it._" Celeste said.  
_"I supposed he must have seen your StudentID at some point."_ Kirigiri replied.  
_"That's probably it. But I don't recall ever being careless with it."  
_. Fujisaki gasped. He had a sudden feeling for why Yamada knew Celeste's real name. But he couldn't bring it up. Not here, not in front of Monokuma. But that means Yamada had had a chance to read them before he could. He had been so busy searching the school, he hadn't gotten around to checking them. Perhaps that could explain Yamada's actions?  
"_But what was really his motive?" _Togami said.  
_"Money and a girl."_ Maizono said. "_I've meant plenty of guys who would have done far worse than murder for both of them together. It comes with the career."  
__"The field is narrowing._" Genocider said._ "That just leaves Leon, Kirigiri, Fujisaki, and Naegi."  
__"Hey, what about you?" _Leon asked.  
_"Why would I murder? It would seperate me from Master."_ Genocider said, dreamily.  
_"Can't argue with that reasoning." _Naegi said. "_As much as it pains me to say."  
__"But how do we know who from those among left?"_ Celeste said.  
_"It's not Fujisaki."_ Kirigiri said. "_He doesn't have the upper body strength to move the locker without dragging it across the floor and there would have been some sign. And the same goes for Naegi."  
__"So that just leaves Kirigiri and Leon." _Fujisaki said.  
_"Well, Leon can't have done it." _Maizono said. _"Isn't that right, Celeste?_"  
_"Yeah, murdering Asahina would have required Leon to be on his own before my murder attempt, and Togami was with him for too long for him to have executed the murder for Asahina to have died at 1:30 AM."  
_. Leon sighed a breath of relief. He was no longer a suspect.  
_"That just leaves you Kirigiri. You're the murderer of Asahina." _Togami said.  
_"Am I?"_ Kirigiri mused.  
_"Well, why aren't you bothered?"  
__"Because I didn't do it."  
__"What? We've eliminated the possibility of everyone else."  
__"Have you, now?_" Naegi interjected. _"There's one other possibility. If we had to eliminate Yamada, and Asahina's death occurred before the third trial then it's safe to say we need to rule out last trial's victim as well, Yaushiro Hagakure!"  
__"Besides, my gloves and superglue don't go together very well."_ Kirigiri said. _"I don't touch superglue. These are my only pair of gloves, and they're custom-fitted to my hands. Superglue would muck everything I don't have nail polish to remove the glue from my gloves."  
__"Why wouldn't you have nail polish?" _Togami asked. _"It's not that inconceivable."  
__"If you were look at my hands, you'd understand. But tell me, what would be the point, I wear gloves all the time anyway. Nail polish serves no use to me."_ Kirigiri counter-argued.  
_"Yaushiro Hagakure!"_ Genocider Shou said. _"What a twist."  
__"And yet, it makes sense."_ Naegi said_. "He knew about the videos before the rest of us. Maizono said she saw him."  
__"He was in massive debt so the money would have worked as well._"  
_"The toaster note supports this."_ Naegi said. _"Let me put this straight. Asahina microwaved Hagakure's disk. Probably because her ever-cheerful self told him not to worry about the video."  
__"And Hagakure then got mad because that was his connection to the outside world."_ Kirigiri added.  
_"He saw that Asahina had broken the toaster, so he got into Asahina's room, and when she was incapacitated, he put in the toaster, and the fork, so that the smoke would guarantee she would be knocked out." _Naegi explained.  
_"That's horrible._" Maizono said.  
_"That seems so out-of-character though."_ Fujisaki said. _"I can't believe it."  
__"I said it before, extreme environments create extreme people."_ Celeste commented.  
It was time for voting.  
Ding. Ding. Ding  
"_You guys were right. The culprit for trial number four was trial number three's very-own victim: Yaushiro Hagakure. Though you were a bit off on his reasoning. He was stupid enough to take his disc out of the A/V Room, and panicked when Asahina got a hold of it. After all, you guys all jumped down Maizono's throat because she knew the motive before the rest of you." _Monokuma said, clarifying Hagakure's motive.  
"_Damn it."_ Leon said. _"At least, our culprit was something who was already dead. So no one gets executed this trial."  
__"I wouldn't be so sure."_ Monokuma said. "_I still have an execution."  
__"What?"_

AUTHOR'S NOTE: So I posted this on the 1 Year Anniversary of the 1st Chapter. It's amazing how much has changed in that year. Still no hits on . But I'd been planning the setup for this murder since even before the first trial. Wasn't sure who the victims and murderers were going to be.


	29. Supplanting Subplots

Chapter 29

I apologize for not uploading a chapter April 2016. I had some other things to take care of. But for those of you wanting to follow up Trial 4's end, here you go.

As the eight people left stared in horror, they saw a laptop sitting in a construction site.  
_"Alter Ego."_ Fujisaki whimpered. So that was what Monokuma meant by 'an execution'? Now he would never get to read those sixteen files, including the one on Mukuro Ikusaba. He had been so wrapped up with everything involving the fourth trial that he had left Alter Ego completely unguarded in the boy's bathroom on the second floor.  
Monokuma decided to add a bit of fun for the next execution.  
_"This next execution is going to be narrated by someone from Aperture Science!_ '_This next test is very dangerous. To help you remain tranquil in the face of almost certain death, smooth jazz will be deployed in 3... 2... 1...'"_  
_"Kirigiri.."  
"I know. I wonder if Alter Ego's attempt was successful with the network connection.."_ Kirigiri replied.  
_ "But what if it wasn't?"  
"I'll need a distraction later on to confirm the result."  
"All right."  
"It can't be you. As Alter Ego's maker, you're far too obvious to make the distraction."_  
Suddenly, a construction excavator appeared, and began smashing Alter Ego.  
_"This is a replacement for Hagakure!" _Monokuma said, gleefully.  
_"Awww... now that's just mean, Monokuma._" Genocider condemned the ecstatic bear.  
_"Well, from one alter ego to another." _Monokuma said.  
. It was over in seconds, and as Fujisaki stumbled over to the crushed wreckage that had been his greatest creation and maybe even his dearest friend, there was nothing salvagable from the laptop itself. Maybe if the harddrive hadn't been twisted and contoured, something would have been able to be reused, but no such luck. Monokuma had been very, very thorough.  
. With heads hung low, the eight survivors trekked back to their rooms. Or at least six of them did. They all needed sleep. The trials had been stressful, but in the halls of the first floor, Makoto Naegi had other plans.  
_"So Monokuma. And you can stop with that music track playing from the speakers."  
__"Oh, you again. Well, L's theme is suitably epic. Come to attempt to taunt me a second time, have you?"  
__"I've taunted you many more times than that."  
__"Well, I do love our chats. All things considered, you should be happy about this trial. Nobody else died."_ Monokuma pointed out._ "Which is a real bummer. I mean, smashing a computer isn't anywhere as fun as smashing Sakura Oogami would have been."  
__"Uh huh. You were planning on saving her for later, weren't you?"  
__"Yeah, but who's fault was that, jackass? Thanks to that, I had to play her card way earlier than I wanted to. Shame, I thought Maizono had been just about to crack too. Oh well, it was better to have an insurance policy. Turns out I needed it."  
_Naegi stared.  
_"What's wrong, kid? Run out of witty words for your headmaster? Not living with the talent of SDHSL Smartass anymore? The fifth floor awaits. Go see it."  
__"Why should I go ahead of everyone else for the fifth floor?"  
__"Why shouldn't you? I mean, Togami, Kirigiri, and the others got a look at the second floor before the first trial had even been concluded, right?"  
__"That was a fluke. There was too much time to use up before your explanation. After all, I wasn't conscious yet."  
__"Fair enough._" Monokuma said, as he waddled off.  
Naegi stood there, fists clinched.  
And then Kirigiri materialized from the shadows.  
_"Trials have become a repeated problem."_ Kirigiri said, walking up. "_We've lost seven people so far."  
__"Nine."  
__"What do you mean by that?_"  
_"Even though Genocider's still here, Fukawa does still count, doesn't she? And what about Alter Ego?"  
__"Yes, I suppose so. Those two do count."  
__"Yeah."  
__"Naegi..._" Kirigiri said, whispering in Naegi's ear. _"I'm going to need a distraction tomorrow night. Let's go to the bath to discuss further details."  
_. Both moved to the bath_.  
__"What for?"  
__"It involves the headmaster's office."  
__"I thought it was electronically locked."  
__"Call unlocking it a last task by Alter Ego."  
_Naegi's eyes widened.  
_"Why tell me?"  
__"You're the best one equipped to distract Monokuma. I can't use Fujisaki, as Alter Ego's creator, he'd be too obvious. He'd get suspicious and leave immediately. There wouldn't be enough burn time."  
__"Kirigiri... switch with me. I'll take the headmaster's office. You distract him."  
__"No... I have to go to the headmaster's office."  
__"Why?"  
__"I don't know."  
__"You don't know or you just don't want to tell me. You expect me to just distract Monokuma without knowing why."  
__"Compartmentalization of information."  
__"You think there's another mole."  
__"I'm not ruling out the possibility."  
__"And you think I'm the mole? That's why you don't want me to check the headmaster's study."  
__"No, you're the last person whom I think would be a mole. You've been integral to the trials. Seeing Hagakure the victim as a potential culprit for one thing. That's why I'm telling you."  
_. Naegi and Kirigiri continued discussing plans before parting their separating ways and heading back to their rooms.  
_"Kirigiri, I'm going to walk out, unless you tell me exactly why you have to be the one to go."_ Naegi said, forcefully.  
Kirigiri stared at Naegi. The trials had changed him. She decided to drop the bombshell.  
_"Alright... the headmaster is my father."  
__"Seriously?"  
__"Yeah. But I haven't seen him since he abandoned me as a child."  
__"How did you get that information?"  
__"Remember the secret motive? That was my secret."  
__"And while Monokuma dropped a major one, he also made a grave mistake, because I didn't even remember that my father was Hope's Peak headmaster."  
__"So you think you have amnesia?"  
__"Yes."  
__"Well, that explains why you've been relatively antisocial."  
__"Yeah, now do you see."  
__"Of course."  
_. Celeste had been staring at her bathroom mirror since she had come back from the trial.  
"_**"You just admitted you wanted an European castle and a reverse harem. If that doesn't signal a deep-seated need for attention, I don't know what does."  
**__"Now they know my real name, there's no chance that'll refer to me as Celeste Ludenberg. My dream... my persona, I guess it'll come crumbling down. I can't really use it anymore. Looks like I'm isolated... again unless..."  
_. Celeste's eyes narrowed. Would she be able to do it? She had one key. But she needed someone else's in order to pull this off.  
_"Monokuma!"  
__"Another summons. I thought you all were supposed to be tired after the trial. What is it?"  
__"Asahina's room key? May I have it?"  
__"Not necessarily. Why? What do you need?"  
__"Her shoes and socks."  
__"A wardrobe change, huh? Not surprising, that last trial was certainly a doozy. Well, I can't really complain. For most people, that lolita outfit was just not doing it. Too dark."_ Monokuma said as he waddled off, bringing Asahina's shoes.  
_"I couldn't find any of her socks. So that means except for the pair on her corpse, all her socks are in the laundromat."  
__"On her corpse?"  
__"Yeah, after the trial's all done. I have to move the corpse out of the way. Remember?"  
__"I suppose so."  
__"Is that all your headmaster can do for you?"  
__"Yes. Thank you."  
_. Celeste went to the laundromat. She found all of Asahina's tube socks. While she was pairing them up, she found the laundry detergent. It brought back memories of the second trial, when Fukawa was killed, but Genocider appeared.  
_"The second trial's red herring for Ishimaru. Did Fukawa hide this after murdering Oowada?"  
_. Fujisaki was laying in his bed, rolling over. In contrast to the other trials, he wasn't exhausted.  
_. "Alter Ego was gone. The closest thing I had to a little brother is gone for good. Unless... No, Monokuma's probably already purged him from this school's network. He went to all that work for the files, butI'm never going to get to read them either. All his work, wasted away. I should have read them sooner when I had the chance. But I wanted everyone together when I read them. That's why I went searching for Asahina when I did. Mukuro Ikusaba's file might have contained something! Maybe some clarification on their relation. Something. Anything. She was here, a student here, even. I wonder where she is now?"  
_. His thoughts continued.  
_"Aperture? I don't remember anything related to smooth jazz in Portal. Maybe it was from a secret area or something? Scrapped content. That voice wasn't GlaDos."_ . . He heard a knock on his door.  
_"You?"  
_. Fujisaki slammed the door.  
. Celeste rang the door.  
. Fujisaki cautiously opened the door, and peeked out.  
_"You, what do you want?_" Fujisaki said slowly and carefully.  
_"I was wondering...if I could have some of your old female clothes. My lolita outfit is getting impractical, and if there's a stain on it, it can't be cleaned."  
__"But would they fit you?"  
__"I'm sorry?"  
__"You're like 165 cm. If you're average, I'm minature. Why don't you try some of Enoshima's clothes? She was a lot closer to your size, and don't you still have her room key?"  
__"But I can't just use all of her clothes. It's not my style. I'm not a fashionista/model whatever she was."  
__"Then ask Maizono. She's about your size as well. And how do you know about Enoshima's clothes if you haven't looked at them yourself?"  
__"I suppose so. But all Maizono has is school uniforms."  
__"Listen, before this mess, we all came to Hope's Peak to fill out our dorm rooms and put our stuff in here well before this began. I'm sure Maizono has some other clothes."_ Fujisaki said, sleepily. "_Now go ask her."  
__"But..."  
__"Just do it."  
_. Celeste sighed as she went into Enoshima's room. She rifled through Enoshima's clothes.  
_"This feels so weird."_ Celeste said, trying out skirts and shorts of various lengths. Finally, she found one that fit. It was a pleated neutral green skirt. It reached down to just above her knees and when combined with the tube socks and Asahina's spare pair of sneakers, Celeste thought that it worked.  
_"I didn't expect to find a piece of clothing this unassuming to be in Enoshima's room. Well, maybe, she wasn't intending to be walking around like a model all the time."  
_. Celeste found a white button up shirt, and went into the bathroom to look at herself in the mirror. And after letting her hair down to near-shoulder length, she didn't even look like herself. She looked more like a plain girl than she had in a long time. It was reminscent of her pre-gambling life.  
_"Before Celeste Ludenberg. Before the gothic appeal. Before a lot of things."  
_. Celeste did spot one more article of clothing that interest her. It was a navy blue North Face jacket. It had '200' on the left sleeve. She went back to the bathroom. When she zipped it, she would be quite warm. It had pockets for its hands, and as she stuffed them in, she half-expected to find something. Well, it appeared that Enoshima had never worn it. But did that make Celeste feel better or worse?  
_"Enoshima died protecting someone. And I lived by trying to murder someone. There's a sense of cruel, unfair irony in that. Why she'd do that? Was Naegi really that important to her?"  
_. Celeste seemed satisfied with her new outfit. There were a couple of other while button shirts, and pleated skirts that she took with her. Maybe some day, she would return to the persona and attire of Celeste Ludenberg, but for now that was obviously not going to be the case.  
. Even though Monokuma woke them up at 7:30 AM per usual with his announcements, most of the students stayed in bed. It was too depressing. What were they going to do anyway?  
. Naegi opened his eyes.  
_"What if I just slept? All day? Every day? What if Maizono and I and everybody else just spent our days eating and napping and occasionally reading?"  
_. And then developing anxiety said _"No alibis for anybody."  
__. "Fuck it. I'm up."  
_. He staggered out of bed. Almost everybody was in the cafeteria.  
_"It appears floor number five has opened." _Leon said.  
_"Eight people."_ Monokuma said. "_All eight... wait, where are they? Kyoko Kirigiri? Taeko Yaushiro! But which one is the thief? "  
_Naegi wiped the grogginess out of his eyes.  
"_Wait, what did one of them steal?"_ Togami asked, looking intrigued.  
_"A key... and a blank-ity-blank blank!"  
__"Change of plans.. let's head to the fifth floor now!"_ Fujisaki said.  
"_No need to wonder where I am._" someone announced._ "I'm right here."  
__"Celeste, the wardrobe change!" _Leon said. _"You look... different."  
__"Good for you."_ Naegi said, nonchalantly. _"Your old outfit was pretentious as hell."  
__"What the hell do you mean by that?" _Celeste said. "_I thought it was elegant. I just realized that I couldn't continue to wear it."  
__"It needs to be dry-cleaned. What if I spilled something on it?"  
__"Su-ure." _Naegi replied.  
"_Well, it does."  
__"Wait a minute... where did you get those clothes?"  
__"I got the socks and shoes from Asahina's room, courtesy of Monokuma. And I used Enoshima's key again to get some of her clothes that were more to my style."  
__"Celeste... that seems tacky."_ Maizono said. _"I mean, wearing the clothes of the deceased."  
__"Why? What's the big deal? It's not like they're going to wear it anymore." _Leon said, quietly._  
__"More importantly, where's Kirigiri?"_ Genocider said.  
_"We're not going to have another trial, are we?"_ Fujisaki said, nervously.  
_"Not if we don't find the body."_ Togami said, sipping his morning coffee.  
_"Oh, you have got to be kidding me._" Leon said.  
_"This could be a key point. Stop stopping. Let's get her. Go!"_ Naegi said, as he rushed out of the cafeteria with his classmates in tow._  
__"And this episode will be called '100 Mile Dash: Pain of the Junk Food Junkies.'"_Monokuma chuckled upon seeing them exit.  
. They all split up once they reached the fifth floor. Naegi noticed all the plant life that seemed to be to his left.  
_"The 5__th__ floor has been opened up to us... And it's totally different from all the floors we've seen up till now. For some reason, it feels unpleasant."_ Naegi thought to himself.  
_"I haven't seen this many plants since I was last outside."_ he sighed. The blue lighting gave way to green above him. Classroom 5-A was to his right. He entered the classroom. Monokuma was playing the same pleasant melody over the intercom like he always did. Metallic plates covered the walls for these classrooms as floor was a combination of wood and tile, and the walls were covered in what only could be described as "African Camoflage."  
. The chalk board was full of doodles. "Nighttime Secrets. No More. Stomp Stomp. He's so Dirty." Naegi almost couldn't decide what to make of it. Though both Leon and Celeste were there, they were silent. He left Classroom 5-A to its own devices, and walked down the hall, next to the adjacent Classroom 5-B.  
. Genocider was there as well.  
_"Hey, Naegi, Monokuma's sketched on this chalkboard as well."  
_. Sure enough there was him identified with a brown ahoge and 'Makoto' being chased by Monokuma.  
_"Haha! Catch me if you can!"  
__"Wait up! I'm gonna punish you!"  
_. There was a third figure to the far right. Naegi couldn't tell if it was Kirigiri or Maizono but there were clearly disgusted with the sequence of events.  
_"Hope this isn't an omen of things to come!"_ Genocider said, chortling. _"We'd be bored to tears without you!_" Naegi took his eyes of his chalkboard and away from the Despair Sign. The metal plates had covered the windows here as well.  
. Silently leaving the classroom, he walked along the hall, until he came to a four-way. He saw a classroom to his right, which would make it classroom 5-C.  
_"Eh, it's probably more of the same as classrooms 5-A and 5-B. I'll check it out later."_ Naegi thought to himself. He turned left, hands in his pockets. There was a dojo. The first thing that stuck out to him was the pink cherry blossoms trees in full bloom.  
_"Considering our situation, isn't it kinda ... out of place"_ Naegi thought.  
_"Are those targets in the distance?"  
_. He continued to glance around. Sure enough, there was another security camera.  
_"No matter when, no matter where, surveillance cameras are following our every move."  
_. Beneath the camera were a bunch of wooden lockers, and a straw post for sword practice.  
"_I wonder if this is where that Peko Pekoyama practiced to win that trophy!"  
__"Ah. Genocider!"  
__"S'up."  
__"Who's Peko Pekoyama?"  
__"You didn't see that trophy sword in the glass display in front of the gymnasium."  
__"I saw it."  
__"It was an award for a Peko Pekoyama."  
__"I see."  
__"Oooo, look at the suit of armor." _Genocider said, drawing an attention to the display. _"Combine that with the sword downstairs! And ooo, I love this song that Monokuma's playing for this room."  
__"What?"  
__"He's got a weird sense of humor. Playing 'Turning Japanese' by the Vapors in here. This song's over 30 years old. Or... wait,yeah, it IS 'Turning Japanese', but it's a cover... by whom? I know I've heard that voice before."  
__"I'll see ya later."_ Naegi said, backing out of dojo. Genocider may have preferred scissors, but the idea of giving a weapon to Genocider just didn't appeal to him.  
. Naegi closed the dojo room. There was bright light to his right, and he walked to and found himself in a garden. Directly in front of him was an enormous flower. It was super weird and super creepy! Flowers weren't supposed to get this big  
_"Uwah! Wh-What 'is' this...? Is it real?"  
__"Watch out!" _Monokuma had appeared. _"That's a Monokuma flower. I came up with the name myself. Try and touch it, and you're in for some real excitement. Your heart's all like whoa! And the plant's all like snap! And your flesh is all like ... I'm dead!"  
__"So it's a giant venus flytrap."  
__"Essentially. A student at Hope's Peak Academy added improvement after improvement, and created this miracle creature! The Ultimate Botanist! Although, they died during the Tragedy!"  
__"What Tragedy?"  
__"By the way, despite how it looks, that flower is super practical! It can eat paper, plastic, even people! So it's totally good for the environment!"  
__"And you just let a plant like this remain in Hope's Peak Academy."  
__"Of course!"  
__"Why am I not surprised?"  
__"What? Such an eco-friendly creation is vital for the future growth of a healthy society."  
__"Like you care about a healthy society."  
__"Touche."_ Monokuma departed.  
_"Whatever the hell this is, I'd better keep my distance."_  
. He ran into Maizono in the garden.  
_"Naegi."  
__"You saw that mega-flower?"  
__"Yeah."  
__"It's truly disturbing. But on the plus side, look at all the different plants."  
__"I can't believe they got all these plants to grow in a room like this. Oh, and if you look close, you can see all kinds of strange flowers mixed in, too!"  
__"Is that so?"  
__"And I've never seen a lot of these fruits before."  
__"Maybe they're hybrids."  
__"Hybrids?"  
__"Yeah, cross-breeds of two types of plants." _Fujisaki was also in the garden._ "It's nice to be somewhere that's of a little different scenery."  
__"Different scenery or not. The fact remains that the blue sky is fake."_ Togami said, walking over. _"Don't bother with the biology lab, it's locked."  
__"Really?" _Naegi asked_.  
__"Another locked door?"_ Maizono asked._ "First with the headmaster' study and data room on the fourth floor, and now the biology lab on the fifth floor."  
__"Yes, it appears that they are integral to what's going on this school." _Togami said._ "More importantly, has anyone seen Kyouko Kirigiri?"  
_. The answer was a resounding 'No.'  
_"How strange. Monokuma made it sound like she was up here."  
__"Why do you care so much about Kirigiri?" _Maizono asked._  
__"Not her, specifically,she's been going rogue since we got here." _Togami said._  
__"Speaking of which, there's something off about this floor." _Naegi said._  
__"What do you mean?"_ Maizono asked._  
__"This is Floor #5. There's no staircase leading up."_ Naegi said._  
__"We're at the top." _Togami said.  
_"Feels strange to have made it this far."_ Fujisaki admitted.  
_"Yeah, same_ here." Maizono agreed.  
_"Why?" _Togami said.  
_"Well, I didn't think I would last very long." _Fujisaki said_. "Maybe one murder, and subsequent trial. But all the way to what appears to be the top floor?"  
__"Yeah, who would have thought?" _Togami said, sarcastically.  
_"Oh shut up, Togami." _Naegi said. "_Anyone of us could have been murdered at any point. It's not like we could control if someone chose to make us a target. If Maizono hadn't walked in, Celeste would have killed you a while back."  
__"But she didn't. And when it was all said and done. I was the one holding the knife to her throat. Not the other way around."_ Togami pointed out.  
. Leon was eyeing Celeste in Classroom 5-A.  
_"What's her angle?"_ He thought to himself._ "This wardrobe change, the Celeste from Day 1 would have never done this. It has to be fake. Is it fake? There's no way it was just practical. Otherwise, she would have done it a long time ago. She doesn't have a weapon right now, so she can't take another shot at killing me. Would she kill me? Or would she choose a new target?"  
_. Celeste was rifling through the desks in the classroom. She was finding nothing, but some old pens.  
_"Hey, Leon, if you had to pick one person besides yourself to leave this school, who would be?"  
__"What? What kind of question is that? Is that how you're going to choose your next victim?"  
__"Just answer the damn question."  
__"Alright... Naegi."  
__"Interesting."  
__"And now you?"  
__"Same."  
__"Is that so?"  
__"Yes, of course."  
__"Is it because Enoshima went to such great lengths to save him from Sakura Oogami?"  
__"Partly."  
__"You know, I have one thing to ask."  
__"And that is?"  
__"Why me?"  
__"Why not? It wasn't personal. It never was. I figured the element of surprise would give me the advantage, and it did... at first."  
__"And then Maizono walked in."  
_. And with those words, Leon quickly left the classroom, and entered the garden.  
_"What's with all the chickens?"  
__"Huh." _The four people that were in the garden turned to look.  
_"Hey... what is with all the chickens?" _Maizono asked_ "There's five of them."  
__"On the fifth floor. I'm gettting the feeling five will be our thematic number for now." _Fujisaki snarked.  
_"What for a next trial?"_ Togami said.  
_"Togami... we just finished trial four less than a day ago." _Maizono said._ "I don't even want to think about trial five."  
__"Well, I do. There's no more staircases up."  
__"Could be the last one."_ Fujisaki said. _"If it happens, it might be our last one. And then what happens?"  
__"I don't want any more trials."_ Maizono said. _ "I've done too many as is."  
__"Maizono."_ Naegi sighed. He shared her sentiments.  
_"I doubt Monokuma would let go that easy."_ Togami said. _"At the end of a trial five, what happens?"  
__"Let's hope we never find out." _Naegi said.  
_"Celeste, how long have you been here?" _Maizono asked, as the Gambler was suddenly there.  
_"Long enough to hear the trial five thinking. It could be dangerous."  
__"Yeah, that's rich coming from you."_ Leon said, angrily.  
_"Look, if this is about clearing up my reasons for my murder attempt ..."_ Celeste said. "_My bad."  
__"What?" _Naegi asked.  
_"She told me it wasn't personal." _Leon said.  
_"So. I don't see the problem."_ Togami said, arms folded.  
_"You really don't get how people work._" someone said.  
_"Kirigiri!"  
_"_Come with me to classroom 5-C. There's something that I need to show you guys_."

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Sorry for the delay, but I've had computer issues

As always, please leave a review, recommend to your other fandom members, and enjoy. If you thought Trial 4 was full of surprises, wait until you see the rest of the story.


	30. Schism Among Students:What's the OS?

Chapter 30: Schism Between Students

Classroom 5-C looked like a war-zone. The dried-red blood splattered all over the desks. Naegi would never forget the appearance of this classroom as long as he lived.  
_"Oh my god." _Maizono said. _"What happened here?"  
"I'll give you a hint. I've changed nothing in this room." _Monokuma said, popping out.  
Togami seemed unimpressed. "_You've been fixing and cleaning up the other classrooms and bedrooms as needbe. So why is this one so special?"_  
Monokuma chuckled. _"That's for me to know."_ Monokuma quietly left.  
_"And us to find out."_ Togami said. _"All right, finally, now we're getting somewhere."  
"A blood-stained classroom means we're getting 'somewhere'?" _Leon asked, incredulously.  
_"The fifth floor. Final floor. :Last one." _Togami said, pushing up his glasses.  
_"He's planning like this is the finale."_ Fujisaki said.  
_"All of you, leave now."_ Togami said. _"I have business with this classroom."  
"Why do you get to call the shots?"_ Celeste asked.  
"_Well, who else? At this point, it's become obvious that we need a leader. So far we've survived on a combination of luck and our class trials have mostly progressed due to various wild 'leaps' of logic."_ Togami said.  
_"When you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth._" Kirigiri sagely stated.  
_"Hey, what are you saying?" _Naegi said.  
_"I'm saying that we've gotten luck so far. The first trial was a double KO. Easy enough. It was handed right in front of us, AND it got rid of Monokuma's pawn in one fell swoop."_ Togami stated.  
_"Okay."_ Fujisaki said.  
_"Our next trial someone murdered after a death came about due to natural causes." _Togami said.  
_"Get to the point."_  
_"The only reason we were able to solve the third or fourth trial was because Takao here attempted to murder myself and Leon."_ Togami said. _"That's not how this works. And hell, our fourth trial was our third trial's victim."_  
_"What? Would you have preferred a more straightforward where say, Oowada bashes Fujisaki's head in?" _Naegi asked.  
_ "No, I'm saying that's it's been implausible the way this has all played out. It feels like the conventions are being broken before they've even been established."_ . ..Togami said. _"Now all of you need to leave. This could prove important to bringing down the mastermind."_  
. And at this point, Naegi grabbed Togami's shirt.  
_"Listen, you blond-haired blue-eyed bastard, we don't 'need' to do anything you ask. You're not in control in here, Monokuma is, and our school has been turned into a place where students MURDER EACH OTHER, and you're concerned that it's not playing out like a nice straightforward 'novel' with conventions?"_  
_ "Let go of my shirt, you cretin."  
"Really? You think you're this 'game's' protagonist? And we're all side characters that all exist to further your goals and ambitions? Newsflash. A protagonist is relative."_  
Naegi was almost spewing spit in Togami's face at this point.  
_"Naegi." _Maizono had never seen Naegi like this. It had never occurred to her that her old middle school classmate could even reach this level of intensity. It was distressing.  
_"Whoa, dude. Calm down." _Leon said. Was the stress of this game finally getting to him? Or had it always gotten to him and Naegi had just been hiding it all this time?  
_"The day for 'calming down' has long-passed. The day for 'calming down' ended with Oogami, Enoshima, and the first trial all those days ago." _Naegi said, frustratedly. "_Maybe if you had bothered to interact with people instead of creating the library into an ivory tower, you would look on them as people, not plot devices to open up new floors and locations."  
"Hey, Mr. Derailing reference! They chose to murder people._" Togami said. _"While it's understandable to feel sympathy for the victims, as for the culprits, it's their fault they didn't properly evaluate risk vs. reward."_  
_"Risk vs. reward?"_ Naegi said. "_Oogami had to murder for the sake of her three century-old dojo and everyone inside."  
"If Fukawa had kept her head with Oowada's rage, she wouldn't have died either. And Hagakure and Yamada both chose to murder. Asahina displayed poor judgment, and Enoshima didn't have to swoop in to save you."_ Togami pointed out. _"It really wasn't a smart move on her part."_  
It took everything Leon and Maizono had to hold Naegi back and drag him out of the classroom.  
_"You really touched a nerve there, Togami." _Kirigiri said._ "It probably wasn't wise to do that."  
"He needs to let it go. Deaths here are nothing personal." _Togami said. _"I don't see why he doesn't understand that."  
"Togami." _Fujisaki said._ "That's something he or anybody else shouldn't have to understand. That's something no one should ever have to understand."  
"And yet, it's the truth. You must be willing to adapt." _Togami said_, _as Kirigiri was turning to leave the classroom. "_You can't just say. 'Oh, they shouldn't have murdered, or put themselves in a position to be victim.' Murder is a very extreme action to take. This scenario isn't encountered in every day life. In here, you have no idea about motivations or reasons or why they did it. I would have thought you would have been someone who understood that considering what happened with Celeste.  
"What about you, Fujisaki? _Togami asked._  
"I think Naegi's right, but this isn't the time to be caring. You can't control what other people do or think or feel." _ Fujisaki said "_You can only control whether you murder or put yourself in obvious situations that make it easier for people to murder you."  
"Hey, I know, my White Knight's always right._" Genocider cackled.  
_"Genocider!"_ Celeste was startled. _"Were you always here?"_  
_"Nah, man. But I did see Maizono and Leon dragging Naegi away with Fujisaki in tow. What's happening? A Schism?"_ Genocider said.  
_"Yeah, that's the word."_ Togami said. "_A rather eloquent word. A Schism among Students."  
__"So, Fujisaki, why did you stay? I get why Genocider is here. But you and Takao?"  
_. Celeste flinched, she still wasn't used to her real name yet.  
. The programmer stated his reason. _"Because Celeste is also here. And I figured you're not going to make any impulsive moves. I just saw Naegi nearly lose control. As human as it is,if you want to survive, that sort of emotion isn't good for this game."  
__"Takao?"_ Togami asked.  
"_Basically the same here."_ Celeste admitted. "_Call it impulsive, but I can not shake the feeling that we're running out of time and trials to work this out."  
_. As Kirigiri peered into the dormitory area, Maizono and Leon had stuffed Naegi into his dorm room.  
_"Hey, man."_ Leon started. "_I know Togami got on your nerves, but he gets on everyone's nerves. You can't let him bother you."  
__I know that."_ Naegi sighed. _"It's just."  
__"Just... what?"_ Leon said.  
_"I can't really put it into words."_ Naegi said. How could he? The anger he felt at Togami pushing his buttons like that. Naegi had never experienced it before. And it scared him.  
_"Listen, I think it's best if you stay here for now. At least until you've calmed down."_ Maizono said. _"Please, do it for me."  
__"All right."_ Naegi ceded to Maizono's request, and shut the door.  
. Leon turned to Maizono.  
_"I've never seen him get that mad. I didn't think he could get that mad. He's always been a smartass. He just rolled with everything. Monokuma's motives. The murders. The trials. The dead bodies. All of it. So what set him off?"  
__"I think I know why. Enoshima literally swooped in and saved him_." Maizono explained._ "He was unconscious when she died, and I think it bothers him that he never got to thank her. Or maybe it's the fact that at that moment, he realized he needed a bit of luck to survive."  
__"But he's the Luckster."_ Leon argued. "_Isn't that his talent? What was wrong with embracing it? Good and bad."  
__"You didn't embrace your talent as the baseball player, did you?"_ Maizono countered. "_I suppose Naegi figured he doesn't need to embrace his own talent either."  
__"So he wants to change."_ Leon said. "_With the way this school is, he might just get his wish._"  
. Monokuma popped in.  
_"So the Luckster doesn't like his talent... hey, hey, guys, where are you going?"_ Monokuma waved his fists as Maizono and Leon each went their seperate ways. He glanced at the door and at the 16-bit version sign of Naegi. _"Well, this is certainly interesting. A rift between Togami and Naegi, the two most popular contestants in the school life of mutual killing."_ Monokuma decided he would find Togami.  
. Kirigiri noticed that Monokuma had left the premises, and knocked on Naegi's door.  
_"You? What do you want?" _Naegi asked. "_Judging from what Monokuma was saying earlier, it sounds like whatever you wanted to get you went ahead and did it anyway."  
__"Yes."  
__"And..."  
__"I got the information."  
__"Hold on. What information?" _ Naegi asked.  
As Kirigiri brought him closer, she explained.  
_"I got my information that I needed from the headmaster's office." _Kirigiri smirked.  
_"How can I still trust you?"_ Naegi asked. "_If you don't tell."  
__"I can't tell you. I don't have all the details myself." _Kirigiri said. "_And besides, we're being watched."_ Kirigiri pointed at the security camera. _"He's already got his eye on me. Even now I suspect Monokuma's working on a maneuver."  
__"You've made yourself a target."_ Naegi said.  
_"Yes. Someone had to."_ Kirigiri noted.  
_"No, you didn't. You should have waited." _Naegi pointed out. _"Look, knowing what I know now, especially about you, as the daughter of the headmaster, it's clear you have some special role in all of this."  
__"Waited until when?"_ Kirigiri said, and she whispered. _"There was no guarantee how long Alter Ego could keep the headmaster's office unlocked. I had to take the chance when I saw it."  
__"And what did you find?"  
__"Have I told you about Mukuro Ikusaba? The 16__th__ student? I found her student profile."  
__"Seriously?"  
__"Yeah. I found her physical specifications and her talent: Mercenary."  
__"You think she organized this whole thing."  
__"I can't rule out that possibility." _Kirigiri said, as she got up to leave.  
_"So that's it, then."  
__"I'm sorry?"  
__"You waltz in, drop some information, and leave."  
__"I saw Monokuma leave the premises. And if I'm right, as long as the mastermind is awake, they can either control Monokuma or watch their cameras. They can not do both. So I want to leave before he realizes we had this conversation. He probably is going after Togami right now._"  
. Meanwhile, in the library, Togami was doing some research. The archive was large, and while he had been able to find Genocider Syou's file quite easily, finding anything else was going to be a huge pain.  
_"Go away, Monokuma."  
__"What'cha reading?"  
__"None of your business."  
__"Hey, Genocider Syou, what's he reading?"  
__"I promised Master not to tell you."  
__"So... Togami... what's your plan for dealing with Naegi?"  
__"My plan...There is no plan... He's wrong and he's know it. If he can't put his losses behind him, then there's nothing he'll be able to do. I'll just have to steamroll over him first. And then..."  
__"And then...?"  
__"I'm coming after you."  
__"I'm sure you will."  
_. Celeste and Fujisaki were in the computer lab on Togami's orders. Classroom 5-C had yielded nothing to Togami's liking. Aside from the bloodstains, he couldn't find anything about whom might had been killed or why. Was it teachers, other students, a governmental donor? It puzzled him. The only reference he could find was that envelope that he and Kirigiri had poured over when they first got the second floor. The two had mutually agreed to leave the contents in the library so anyone could consult them. Hell, he had secretly had Fukawa hand-write a second copy for his own personal use.  
_**"Master, wouldn't I make an excellent secretary?"  
**__**"Shut it, Fukawa, and do as you're told."  
**__**"Yes, Master."  
**_. There was nothing in the library. He would have thought that Monokuma, for all of his taunting would have left something in here. They were in here for what he said was an indeterminate amount of time, and eventually, someone would scour the library end to end, and find his little trail. The bastard seemed to love leading them on with a Bait-and-Switch.  
_"So Togami, I saw Fujisaki and Celeste in the computer lab. Your orders? I suppose."  
__"Yeah, so what."  
__"You giving orders?"  
__"Of course, when it comes down to it, I want to be the one to make the call."  
__"Always?"  
__"Without hesitation, and no matter the circumstances. If I'm conscious, I want it."  
"How clutch of you._" Monokuma chuckled, and left.  
. Fujisaki and Celeste were in the computer lab. At the young programmer's request, Celeste had gotten some paper and a pen out of one of the classrooms. Fujisaki was trying to gain administrator privileges, but it wasn't going very well, and now he was frustratedly clicking his pen on the paper over and over again.  
_"You know, you can do something else."  
__"Yeah—no."  
__"So why are you sticking around here?"  
__"Because I want to watch. It's not like I've got anything better to do."  
__"Since you're going to be here, can you do me a favor?"  
__"What is it?"  
__"I want you to keep an eye out for Monokuma. I have a sneaky feeling the bastard is going to interfere if I get too close to something."  
__"Sure."  
__"He'll strike like a python, fast, and without warning."  
__"Python? Like the animal?"  
__"No, I mean like the programming language that was developed in the late 1980s?"  
__"Seriously?"  
__"Yeah, Python was developed in the late '80s in the Netherlands, actually around the same time as the Japanese Programming Language: Mind."  
__"I see."  
_. Fujisaki clicked his tongue, and scratched his head.  
_"Well, I think I'm working with normal operating system. For a second, I was worried that Monokuma had pre-empted me by make this school work with an esoteric programming language like Brainfuck."  
__"I'm sorry?"  
__"You know, Brainfuck? The programming language was developed in 1993 as a way to get compilers below 256 bytes. It's mostly a challenge programming language."  
__"Seriously?"  
__"Yeah. Even simple programs get really complicated. Actually, fun fact, there's a JavaScript derivative of Brainfuck called JSFuck."  
__"Who made that programming language must have had a weird sense of humor?"  
__"You mean, the German Urban Muller?"  
__"Yeah, that guy."  
__"Huh."  
__"Hey, what's an esoteric programming language?"  
__"A programming language designed to push the boundaries, such as LOLCode or Malebroge."  
__"LOLCODE?"  
_. Fujisaki chuckled. "_Yeah, it's less than 5 years old. But the 1998 Malebroge is the one with the interesting name, sharing its name with the Dante's Eighth circle of hell. You know how when most people envisioned code, it's as a bunch of 0s and 1s?"  
__"Yeah?"  
__"Well, you want to know why you don't see ANY 2s?"  
__"Sure?"  
__"Because then you get Malebroge. It was designed to be stupid hard to use. I should know. As a matter of fact, Hope's Peak Academy scouted me and bestowed upon  
me my title of Ultimate Programmer because of my ability to competently code the damn language."  
__"Fujisaki, how do you know all this stuff?"  
__"It comes with being a programmer. I see lots of different programming languages, Lot of midnight browsing online with such Wikipedia searching."  
__"I see."  
__"Yeah. It's a good thing that the OS for a lot of these computers are Windows 7. There's a couple of XP and one 98."  
__"So?"  
__"It's a good thing Hope's Peak kept their systems up to-date. Otherwise, I could be dealing with Windows Vista. And I don't want that. That's for sure. Vista was received with much worst reception than its predecessor Windows XP."  
__"Why?"  
__"It had some issues with backwards compatibility. Incredibly it actually ran programs SLOWER than XP which had been originally released six years earlier. Copying and deleting larger amounts of files was very tedious, if not impossible. So much so that people often chose to 'downgrade' to XP."  
__"Well, that's some oversight."  
__"I mean, it's the Sonic 06 of Windows Operating Systems. Crap at deciding what to load and when to load it. Games that ran fine on XP would experience frame rate issues on Vista. "  
__"You really don't like Vista."  
__"And I don't like to have Germanium transistors too. But Vista's not the greatest example of C or C++ programming out there."  
__"Listening to your criticisms, I can tell. Must have been such a pain to program Alter Ego with Vista."  
__"No strangely, Alter Ego's OS was Windows 7. I mean, I used some Linux sub-kernels to start with, but using those on a Vista would have been a pain in the ass."  
__"Wait, when did Windows 7 come out?"  
__"October 2009 for general use. But Alter Ego's physical laptop showed signs of two-three years worth of wear-and-tear."  
__"Yeah." _Celeste noted that Fujisaki was still combining through the system files, trying to look for something.  
_"Well, 7 did add new features from Vista. There's the desktop slideshow feature, where you can have multiple pictures be backgrounds and turn them into a slideshow. They actually made the start bar 10 pixels taller in order to accompany touchscreen technology that was just starting to become widespread."  
__"That's cool."  
__"Yeah, and then unlike previous versions of Windows, 7 can tell you when you need to purchase a replacement laptop battery."  
__"Huh."  
__"Yeah, it's very handy. But there are features that were removed."  
__"Such as?"  
__"The ability to prevent programs from showing up in a "Most Used" portion. That's something that was possible in XP and even Vista."  
__"Uh huh."  
_. And then Genocider came in.  
_"Hey guys, Master sent me to check up on you guys. What have you discovered?"  
__"I've discovered that Hope's Peak kept up-to-date on their operating systems. Thank God. I'd hate to work with Vista. And I don't think I could reconstruct XP from scratch, especially in those conditions."_ Fujisaki said. "_Other than that, I don't have any concrete files information."  
__"Oh, that's not very good."_ Genocider said. "_Master was hoping you would have something by now."  
__"Listen, do you know how long it takes to find a needle in a haystack."_ Fujisaki asked. "_That's what I'm trying to do."  
__"You know, you could just burn the hay?"  
__"Are you suggesting I trash the OS, because that's one way to guarantee that I lose any potential files FOREVER." _Fujisaki sighed.  
_"I'm saying. Get creative. This is your element."_ Genocider said.  
_"And I'm telling you, I'm still figuring things out. There are some things I haven't seen before."_ Fujisaki replied.  
_"How is that possible? I thought you kept up-to-date on everything computer-related."_ Celeste said, pacing back-and-forth.  
_"I did. Or at least I thought I did. I just never expected Hope's Peak to jump ahead of even me. It's like they got ahold of technology that advanced faster than Moore's law would have predicted."  
__"What's Moore's law?"_ Genocider asked.  
_"Moore's law is that every twenty-four months, the number of transistors per high-capacity integrated circuit doubles."  
__"I'm going to need less technical jargon."_ Genocider said. "_Or at least clarification as to what transistors and integrated circuits are."  
_. Fujisaki sighed. Of course he couldn't expect a serial killer and split personality of the novelist to have a complex understanding about computers. And a gambler like Celeste? Forget it. Definitely not her specialty. He whirled around in his rolling chair.  
_"A transistor amplifies or switches electronic signals and electrical power. It's a type of semiconductor device. Using pure Germanium has several drawbacks compared to Silicon or a compound alloy of Silicon and Germanium together."  
__"Forget the different elemental transistors here, what's a semiconductor?"_ Celeste said.  
"_If you say that it's a guy who works part-time on a train, Genocider, so help me."_ Fujisaki gnashed his teeth, anticipating Genocider's punchline.  
_"Aww..."  
__"How you'd know what Genocider was going to say?"_ Monokuma said, popping up. _"Hey, peeps, looks like I should be focusing on you guys instead, something interesting is happening."  
__"Oh, look, it's an obnoxious half-pint."_ Celeste sighed.  
_"Man, I get no respect."_ Monokuma sighed dejectedly.  
_"Of course, you don't."_ Fujisaki pointed out, as he continued to scroll through System files.  
_"Hey, delete System32, it's a virus." _Monokuma said.  
_"First of all, do you really think I'd be so stupid."_ Fujisaki said._ "Second of all, you've made all these computers into a self-contained system. There's no way a virus could get in if it wasn't already in."_  
_"Hey, you never answered my question." _Celeste pointed out. _"What is a semiconductor?"  
__"Yes, well..."_ Fujisaki said, as he continued to open up command prompts for trial-and-error segments._ "Essentially, they're solids that are able to conduct a charge. They're usually crystalline or amophorous."  
__"Okay, I get what a crystalline solid is, but amorphous?" _Celeste said.  
_"You know what, go read about amorphous solids in a chemistry textbook. I'm sure they're some in the chemistry lab." _Fujisaki said.  
_"Ah." _Celeste said.  
_"Vienna. Blackcomb. Windows 7. Let's see what I'm working with. This appears be the 64-bit version. I already know it's got the DVD-roms because of those motive videos that Monokuma has had lined up as the first motive. But if everything is up-to-par, it should have the following: the 64-bit versions of Windows 7 require 1 GHz x86-64 bit processor, 2 GB of RAM, DirectX9 Graphics Processor featuring model 1.0 of WDDM driver. And also 20 GB of free hard-drive space."  
__"Vienna, and Blackcomb are weird codenames." _Genocider said.  
_"And Star Wars's codename was Blue Harvest. What's your point?" _Fujisaki said._ "The Nintendo Wii's codename was Revolution. SEGA's working titles for their hardware were planets. The 32-X was Mars. A 32-bit disc was codenamed Jupiter. And where do you think the SEGA Saturn got its name?"  
__"What about the other planets?_" Genocider said.  
_"Well, Monokuma's got some SEGA Mercuries, a.k.a. Game Gears in the Student store. SEGA Venus was the Nomad. SEGA Earth went unused. I've already accounted for Mars, Jupiter and Saturn."  
__"What about SEGA Uranus and SEGA Neptune and SEGA Pluto?"  
__"There's no indication SEGA Uranus was ever used, and SEGA Neptune was a 32-X/Megadrive Combo Unit."  
__"What about SEGA Pluto?_" Genocider said.  
_"Well, those two prototypes are SEGA Saturns with a different shell and a NetLink Internet Modem built it in."  
__"So it would have connected to the Internet in what?"_ Celeste said.  
_"1995 or 1996. It wouldn't have been in Japanese Saturns. Yeah, well, where do you think all of those cool features that the Dreamcast had came from?" _Fujisaki replied.  
_"Not this again." _Celeste sighed.  
_"What?"_ Fujisaki said.  
_"I don't get it." _Genocider said._ "What's with Fujisaki and the SEGA Dreamcast? Is it the console he grew up with?"  
"Yeah... it was.." Fujisaki trailed off.  
"Just like how Yamada's first anime was Neon Genesis Evangelion!" _Monokuma interjected, desperately trying to stay relevant to the conversation_.  
"Nobody cares." _Celeste said. _"Last time the Dreamcast was brought up, I heard a lecture about all the cool features of the Dreamcast, and the groundbreaking features it had." _Celeste sighed.  
_"Fujisaki, you're a nerd. You know that?"_ Genocider said, laughing like a maniac.  
_"Yeah, I know."  
__"To know so much about hardware._" Celeste said. _"It didn't seem to be your area of expertise."  
__"Well, I need a working knowledge of the hardware in order to efficiently write code."_ Fujisaki said. "_I can't rely on the serendipity of Space Invaders programming, now can I?"  
__"Huh, what's so special about Space Invaders?"_ Genocider asked. _"It's been around since like what, 1975?"  
__"A little early. It's first release came in 1978. First instance of a 'killer app'."  
__"A 'killer app'."  
__"A software that is so interesting it pitches the hardware. Like the Sonic the Hedgehog classics for the SEGA Genesis."  
__"Hey, if this were turned into a game, I'm sure it would be a killer app for Sony's handheld! The Vita!_" Monokuma interjected.  
_"Shut up, Monokuma._" Fujisaki, Genocider, and Celeste said in unison.  
_"Anyway. Tomohiro Nishikado, the programmer, spent a year custom building a special microcomputer in order to run the game. However, even the custom haredware wasn't powerful enough. The board was not able to display color graphics or move the enemies as fast as he liked."  
__"Okay._" Celeste said.  
_"Nishikado then discovered the processor could move the aliens faster the fewer there were in on the screen. He decided that it would make the game better by adding a difficulty curve." _Fujisaki said.  
_"You know what, that's really fascinating."_ Genocider said. "_The fewer there are, the harder it is to hit one of the remaining ones."  
_

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I originally wanted to have Monokuma make a 'Roll Credits' Joke after Togami said 'A Schism among Students' but CinemaSins didn't exist at the time the first Dangan Ronpa came out. So the reference would have been anarchnoristic. (And I really make sure none of my references are anarchorisnitic. Maybe a few will be hilarious in hindsight though.) Also, I made sure to do some research about the programming. So if anyone spots anything wrong, please mention it in the review, I'll be sure to correct it.

Also, I originally had Leon and Kirigiri stay with Togami while Celeste and Fujisaki went with Maizono and Naegi. But I switched them around partway through writing due to character reasons.

And this is now my first 100k word story!


	31. Pinging Masks: In Which One Is Blue

Chapter 31: Pinging Masks  
I know, two chapters in the same month. When's the last time that happened? But in all seriousness, I'm about to start heading to the meat.

"_ You know what, that's really fascinating. "_Genocider said. "_The fewer there are, the harder it is to hit one of the remaining ones."_  
_"Yeah."_ Fujisaki said, drawing the now- obvious similarities between this School Life of Mutual Killing and Space Invaders in his mind.  
. Naegi was back on the fifth floor when Maizono, Leon, and Kirigiri discovered him.  
. "_Makoto? What are you doing?"_ Maizono said.  
. _"Trying to find a way out through the observatory. This is the top floor. Which means that the roof is above us."_ Naegi replied.  
. "_Alright?"  
. "I wonder how much force a projectile would need to have to break through it."  
. "Are you suggesting some explosives?"_ Maizono asked.  
. _"Maybe the chemistry lab will have some substances."  
. "I feel like you haven't always been a pyromaniac."  
. "I haven't. But I'm at my wit's end here."  
. "We've only had the fifth floor unlocked for a day. I'm sure we'll think of something."_  
. Naegi went silent. _"That's what we thought after Trial 1. And Trial 2. And Trial 3. It's time to stop hoping we find something. It's time to make our own exit."  
. "Seriously?"_  
._ "That won't work."_ Togami said, walking in. _"You expect yourselfs to just wreak some havoc and blow up a way out of here. How unrefined of you."  
. "Well, what's your brilliant idea?" _Naegi said.  
. "_A cerebal strategy."  
. "Cerebal wouldn't work. He has cameras. If he figures out what you're doing, it'll never work."  
. "I know that." _Togami said. _"It's like trying to beat a chess supercomputer. You have to use a line it's never seen before. Usually never before seen in human history."  
. "Seriously?"_  
. "_Hey, Togami." _Monokuma said._  
. "Yes?"  
. "How do you know what Monokuma's seen before?"  
. "What?"  
. "You don't know what to try. And Monokuma clearly knows more about us than we thought on that first day. Remember the secrets?"  
. "So?"  
. "How did he get them?"  
. "Togami, you have to admit something's a little off." _Maizono said.  
. _"Oh really, you blue-haired Effiel 65 reject, what's your secret?" _Togami said, disgustingly._  
. "'Blue-haired Effiel 65 reject'?"_ Naegi noted bemusedly.  
. _"Yeah."  
. "Wait, come to think of it. Why is your hair blue, Maizono? I remember it being black in middle school."_ Naegi said.  
. _"Uh-uh-uh-uh-uh."_ Maizono said, stammering.  
_. "Oh, come on, I think she just dyed it... Although, given how long we've been trapped in here, wouldn't dye start to wear off?_" Togami said, pensively.  
_. "I didn't dye it!_" Maizono said, defensively.  
_. "Then how did you get it that way?"_ Leon said.  
_. "Kirigiri's is a pale purple. You aren't giving her a hard time!"_ Maizono protested.  
_. "Just answer the question."_ Togami said.  
. _"Yeah, Maizono, you're not going to let them know all about that 'unforunate paintball accident', are you?"_ Monokuma said.  
_. "Paintball?"_ Naegi said.  
. Maizono sighed. She would have to come clean.  
. _"Alright, my Dad really liked paintball. And he had a paintball gun. And once I was messing around with it."  
. "Okay."_ Leon said.  
_. "I shot myself in the hair foeciles." _Maizono said. _"I freaked out. But by the time my Dad came home and discovered that my hair was blue, it was too late to get it out. I had blue hair. I thought I had messed up my idol career until the producers said that my hair being blue would be an asset. It would make me stand out. And that's why I have blue hair."_ Maizono admitted.  
._ "Okay... wow."_ Naegi said.  
_. "Wait, was that your secret that Monokuma used for your motive?"  
. "Yeah."_ Maizono admitted as Monokuma had disappeared.  
_. "So how did Monokuma know about it?_" Naegi shot a glance at Togami.  
_. "PEPSI-MAN! PEPSI-MAN! PEPSI-MAN!"  
. "God fucking damn it. I hate that song!"_ Maizono shouted, covering her ears.  
_. "It's the Pepsi Man song, sure it's annoying but it's not that bad."_ Leon said.  
_. "No you don't understand. Every time I hear this song I can't get it out of my head. And it brings back some bad memories in the recording studio."  
. "Let me guess, at one point you were recording a cover of this song, and it didn't go so well."_ Naegi jokingly suggested.  
. _"Yeah."  
. "My god, I'm sorry. I had no idea being a pop idol was so stressful."_Naegi consoled her._  
. "I know, right!" _Maizono agreed._  
. "They're made for each other."_ Kirigiri whispered to Leon, as Togami left the garden.  
_. "I think they are."_ Leon whispered back.  
. Togami left the garden, hands in his pockets, when Genocider came up to him.  
_. "Master! Master!"  
_. Togami sighed. _"What is it?"  
__. "Celeste and Fujisaki are still working on the computer."  
__. "Have they found anything of note?"  
__. "No. Fujisaki said, the network seemed to have almost been scrubbed clean of files."  
__. "Scrubbed clean of files?"  
__. "He's trying to work on it. Said it would take some time."  
__. "Yes. Tell him to take as much time as he needs."_ Togami said, waving Genocider off. He looked at the clock. It was about 1 PM. How many days had they been in here since Monokuma first announced to them that they were trapped in here? Too many for his liking.  
. _"Trial four was around 24 hours ago."_ Togami said. _"And it seems to have brought about quite a splash of character. Naegi, in particular. That fool. He doesn't know what he's doing. I've tried to explain it to him. But he won't listen. Recklessly doing things won't work. We need to outwit Monokuma."_ Togami continued to think as he wandering around the fifth floor aimlessly, trying to work things out. The dojo didn't seem to have anything useful. But it was playing a song that was going _"'Turning Japanese. Turning Japanese. I really think so.'"_  
. The biology lab was still locked. Nothing in Classrooms 5-A or 5-B gave any indication that Classroom 5-C was the bloodstained horror that was behind its wooden doors. It was bothering Togami. There was something there. Something that would bring this game to a close. He knew it, but what could it be?  
. The fourth floor did nothing to appease his mind either. He didn't bother to check the headmaster's office. The chemistry lab held nothing of interest. The Proteins were still in Cabinet A. The Poisons were still in Cabinet C. Antioxidants were still in Cabinet B.  
. He strummed around the pillars, along to the music room. _"They don't know what they're doing. Nobody else knows what they're doing. I'm the only one who's even been in a situation even remotely likely this. The competition between myself and my siblings. They're gamblers, idols, average-joes, amateur sleuths, and programmers. They have no idea how to lead a group. They can't compartmentalize. They're haphazard. It's up to me to get them straight."  
_. The grand piano called to him. He sat down in front of it, and folded his arms.  
. _"Burdened by glorious purposes, Togami?_" Monokuma had arrived.  
. _"You?"  
__. "Yes, it's me. Did you expect something other than your headmaster to appear?"  
_. Togami was silent.  
. "_Aw, is the youngest sibling actually missing his older brothers and sisters?"  
__. "You."  
__. "Yes?"  
__. "What's your objective? Your endgame. Surely, you know that this game can't last forever, and when it ends, no matter how it ends, it's going to blow up in your face."  
_. Monokuma chuckled. _"I think you underestimate me. Me, the great Monokuma? My plans never backfire."  
__. "Oh, please. The others may not realize it. But you and I both know you're just a coward who refuses to show their face. At least take accountability for your actions. But I can guess what's going to happen. When this game comes apart at the seams, when you're forced to confront the reality that your ambitions are hollow and meaningless, you're just slither away."_ Togami confidently replied.  
. Monokuma laughed. _"Oh, this is some rich entertainment. You hear that, everyone?"  
__. "Who are you... talking to?_" Togami said.  
_. "Togami, since you've been such an entertaining contestant. I'll give you a clue about the nature of this game."  
__. "Huh?"  
__. "Gladiators."  
_. Monokuma left, and Togami put his hand up to his face. "Gladiators? Whatever." He could ask Genocider Shou who still had the literary knowledge of Fukawa, if she knew anything about the subject, just in case Monokuma got ahead to him and altered some of the info.  
_. "That ought to get his fire going he figures out, if he figures out, the despair will eat at him like no one else in this game."_ Monokuma talked to no one in particular.  
. Twenty minutes later, there was Togami in the library. He had found a novel on the table by Stefan Zweig. The title had been translated as 'Chess'. The novel made have only been about eighty pages long, but it was certainly intriguing from the moment Togami picked it up and began wearing through the pages.  
. _"Shame there isn't a chess board in the Game Room."_ He muttered to himself, but he doubted that even if anybody here knew how to move the pieces, they wouldn't be able to challenge. He reminisced about the days as a young boy at three years being taught by his father before his dad became somewhat distant.  
. By the age of four, he was able to dispatch his father on the board with ease. It was a triumphant feeling. The son was toppling the father. Togami knew he had the upper hand when he put his father's lack of knowledge about chess's second specialty move (behind castling), en passant on full display.  
. True, the move was situational, because pawns had limited movesets, only moving forward, and capturing other pieces one space diagonally, it only could be activated in a certain scenario. In the case, one player had to have moved their pawn up three rows, and the other person had make to the two-space first move adjacent to the first player's pawn. Both would end up on the same row. The first player then had exactly one move to move behind the other pawn and capture the moving pawn as though they had only moved one square. If he declined after the first move, en passant was no longer legal.  
. When he first showed it off, his father accused him of cheating, and after learning that it was a legal manuver on the board was quite surprised.

_: "The boy is full of surprises. How interesting."_

. That game never finished, but Togami was not surprised. Why should he have had to play down to his father's level? If his father wanted to win so badly, he should have studied, should have practiced, should have been prepared that his son could and would grasp what the old man already knew. It was a credit to his father as a teacher.  
. Togami sighed. Those days, when he was still trying to impress his father into being the heir of the family, were over now, where he was in over his head as a youngster without even realizing just how perilous of a situation he was in. Now he was faced with an overwhelming task, leaving this school alive. He had too many objectives to complete to end his life here.  
. Celeste was on a food run for Fujisaki. At a certain point, she had to heed the programmer's advice that she was only in his way, and that while he appreciated teaching her the finer details of programming, it would have to wait until after they got out.  
. "If they got out." Celeste thought to hereself. But unless Monokuma made some sort of slip-up, she didn't see that way. So how could she force a slip-up? There was nothing that had given himself away as to whom the identity probably was.  
. It seemed strange that Fujisaki wanted to work alone, but Celeste couldn't really blame what with her constant questions, while endearing at first had quickly grated at Fujisaki's nerves. Celeste was walking back to the A/V room, Doritios, and Mountain Dew in hand, when she spotted Leon, holding a baseball bat.  
_. "Leon... what are you doing?"  
__. "Well, Monokuma mentioned that we weren't allowed to mess with security cameras. But everything else is fair game."  
__. "You never answered my original question."  
__. "I've got my tool kit in my pocket. And a baseball bat. I'm taking aim at those steel coverings."  
__. "Oh, so you're agreeing with Naegi?"  
__. "Yeah, we're too passive as it is. We're eight teenagers trapped in here." Leon replied with a slick grin.  
__. "So?"  
__. "Let's give whoever put us in here hell."  
__. "You're nuts."  
__. "And what would you have us to do? Sit back and wait for opening."  
__. "I'm saying that reckless actions will only get you killed."  
__. "So you're on that prick Togami's side."  
__. "Yes. Basically."  
__. "I see. What's that in your hand?"_ Celeste pointed a transparent orb.  
_. "Oh, this was Hagakure's. This is his crystal ball. The idiot left it in the laundry room."  
__. "Ah."  
__. "Don't worry. I've got something planned with it."  
__. "I'm sure you do."  
_. Leon turned around left. He figured that the third floor with its physics lab would be the easiest to work off of.  
. Celeste looked at the clock. It was now 7:30 PM. Leon would only have a couple hours to dent into the window coverings before the rest of the students could no longer divert Monokuma's attention.  
. Fujisaki was still having trouble working with the computers in the A/V lab. He had been running systems in every command prompt all day, and each other was saying that the integrity of the system was perfectly fine. And that bothered him. If there was some irregularity, he would be able find the source, and maybe use it to gather information about the outside world.  
. But now what was bothering him was that upon typing in 'ipconfig', he had come up with some results that bothered him. The main issue was the IPV6. He hadn't seen it adopt widespread use yet, so to see on every computer in this A/V room bothered him. It was still supposed to be in its development and early implement stages, last Fujisaki had heard of it, but how could he not have heard about it? It was replacing IPV4 which had been around since 1982.  
. _"Soon IPV6 will be the dominant connective conditon, almost making IPV4 look like a propietary programming language to the computers of the future, unless of course, the programmers just leave it in?"_ Fujisaki muttered to himself. He was having no luck pinging to his home PC, which should still be on and connected online if he recalled correctly and even pathpinging as both IPV4 and IPV6 was yielding nothing. It just came back as a '0 ms LOST/SENT ...'. A connection was starting but not arriving to the final destination.  
. _"Why?" _Fujisaki was seriously frustrated. He didn't have any other IP addresses memorized.  
_. "There's no way Hope's Peak Academy has a room full of computers with features that only show up on custom PCS. And what's even strange is that they all appeared to be of manufactured quality. Hope's Peak Academy may have recieved grants from the government, but to have this?"  
_. The rest of the day was uneventful, so when Naegi woke Maizono early AM to tell her something, she feared the worst.  
_. "Naegi, it's 3 in the morning! Did someone die! Why are you knocking at this hour?"  
__. "No, no, no. It's not that."  
__. "Then what is it?"  
__. "I just had the most amazing thought."  
__. "And that is?"  
__. "ORANGES ARE PRE-SLICED BY NATURE! And that is so cool if you think about it!"  
__. "Dear, I know that is quite the interesting thought you've had, among many other things. But now is not the time to share them!"  
__._ Maizono slammed the door in Naegi's face, which she thought he deserved at least. She already wasn't sleeping well enough as it is._  
__. "How rude."_ Naegi deadpanned.  
. But upon hearing footsteps, he turned around... and there was a masked figure. Naegi would never forget that mask.  
. _"Who are you? Are you Mukuro Ikusaba?_" Naegi shouted, and gave pursuit. The masked figure whipped around out of the dormitary area.  
. Naegi gave pursuit, following the just-revealed sixteenth student. He saw the figure whipped into the gymnasium, past the atrium, where he stopped. _"Wait a minute, I need a weapon."_ and he grabbed the sword that had belonged to Peko Pekoyama.  
. _"Ah!_" Naegi was startled that the gold leave peeled off so easily and stained his hands. No matter, he removed the hilt, and broke into the gymnasium, to find that no one was there.  
. "_What the hell? Where did he go?"_ Naegi said.  
_. "Hello."_ He turned around, and came face-to-face with the masked figure. The voice was muffled as he expected.  
. _"So you're the mastermind?_" Naegi asked. The sword felt heavy in his hands, unbalanced. How did that Peko Pekoyama manage to use this sword? If she had used the sword, maybe it was only meant to be decorative.  
. "_Are you Monokuma's operator?"  
_. There was still no answer.  
. Naegi sweatdropped. If this masked operator killed him, there would be no way anyone else could figure it out. But then again Kirigiri knows about Mukuro Ikusaba. So if they couldn't figure it out, Kirigiri could probably make that leap. However, he still didn't want to die. Damn his lack of foresight. There was someone new here and that had excited him. Something was happening. In his gut, Naegi knew he had made something happen. His philosophy paid off, but at what cost?  
. Naegi eyeballed the figure.  
_. "Well, what do you want?"  
_. The masked figure slowly raised a knife.  
_. "Alright then."_ Naegi was eager. In his mind, he was wondering which would pay off? The masked figure's height and reach, or his sword's longer range.  
. The next morning, Maizono woke up to a knock on her door. It was Kirigiri. Her expression was grim.  
_. "What's wrong?" _Maizono asked._  
__. "We found Naegi... unconscious. In the gym."  
__. "SHIT! WHO DID IT!?"  
__. "Nobody has admitted anything. But he's not dead. So there's no class trial."  
_. Maizono breathed a sigh of relief. Her anxiety floated away.  
_. "He's alive?"  
__. "Yeah, he's in the infirmary."  
_. Maizono zipped over to the infirmary. Leon, Fujisaki, and Togami were already there. Upon seeing Maizono, Leon silently sidestepped away.  
. Celeste walked in.  
. _"I heard Naegi was in the infirmary. He's alive, I presume?"  
__. "Yeah."  
__._ Celeste sighed_. "Man, he seems to get beat up a lot."  
__. "Oh, ho. Are you flanderizing him?" _Monokuma arrived.  
_. "You?" _Maizono said_. "Did you knock him out?"  
__. "Me?" _Monokuma arrived. _"I did no such thing. He was not knocked by me, Monokuma."  
__. "Oh, quit with the passive voice." _Genocider said, arriving on the scene.  
_. "What?"_ Leon said.  
_. "You know, passive voice. Oh right, none of you are writers, like Mrs. Gloomy was."_ Genocider said.  
_. "Huh?"_ Kirigiri said.  
_. "Yeah, passive voice. It makes it sound like an inanimate object is actually doing something that a human did."  
__. "Oh?"_ Monokuma said.  
_. "Yeah. Get rid of the passive voice. Pretty much all of this is your fault. So take responsibility for it. At least have the honey drums to admit it."  
__. "Genocider, that's brilliant." _Togami said.  
_. "Thanks master. And plus it adds to the entertainment perspective."  
__. "What?_" Kirigiri said.  
. _"This isn't entertainment."_ Maizono said.  
_. "Oh, but it is._" Monokuma laughed.  
_. "Entertainment for whom?" _Genocider said. _"No more passive voice!"  
__. "Why shouldn't I continue to speak in passive voice?"_ Monokuma argued.  
_. " Because you've created a game that involves a murder-mystery, and it's a cop out. I mean, a pronoun game. Really? Fujisaki provides enough debate for pronoun game as is."  
_. _"Hey!" _Fujisaki protested, having been silent up to that point.  
_. _At 12:30, Naegi awoke and sat up.  
_. "Ow. My head... Maizono? You're here?"  
__. "Course I'm here, silly. What happened?"  
__. "Did anyone see a masked person?"  
__. "No?"  
__. "Shit. They got me. Now why didn't they kill me?"  
__. "Shush. Don't talk like that. I'm just happy you're alive."  
__. "You know for once I wish this story would go off the rails. Something like... And then the Mario brothers came in and kicked stomped Monokuma like he was a Goomba."  
__. "That wouldn't work."_ Maizono said, hesistantly.  
._ "Do not underestimate the jumping powers of the Mario Bros. Do you know about Bullet Bills and Bonzai Bills, and all the bullet hell enemies?"  
__. "Naegi, I have no idea what you're referring to."  
__. "Or maybe the Chaos Emeralds suddenly show up and we undergo supertransformations."  
__. "No. That's bullshit and out left-field."  
__. "No, it's not. Fujisaki mentioned them before. So it wouldn't be totally out there."  
__. "Naegi, if everything we mentioned suddenly came back, we'd have the most insane story that goes all over the place. The literary prowse of Fukawa to have Genocider insist on Monokuma using an active voice would suddenly become super relevant."  
_. Naegi raised an eyebrow.  
_. "What if some of us suddenly became warriors and red mages?"  
__."Not likely. What are you doing, writing a bad fanfiction?"  
_. _"I could write... 'And then Monokuma totally was defeated on a piece of paper and tape it over all the secruity cameras?"  
__. "Not a bad idea. But we don't have enough paper. And story-wise, it'd be a copout."  
__. "You're just humoring me, aren't you?"  
__. "Yes, dear."  
__. "No, but how awesome would it be if alumni from Hope's Peak came in to provide reinforcements?"  
__. "We're in a fight over life philosophy and ideals with Monokuma, not some sort of third person shooter."  
__. "No, wait, Maizono, I have a plausible plan."  
_. "_What?"  
__. "Get me Fujisaki."  
_. Maizono left and fetched Fujisaki.  
_. "What is it that you wanted to see me about, Naegi?"  
__. "Do you think you can annoy Monokuma with lame puns? The more STEMer they are, the better."  
__. "What?"  
__. "Calculus, Physics, Computer Programming's your forte. You must know a few jokes about Computer Programming."  
__. "Are you trying to turn me into a stand-up comedian?"  
__. "Perfect. You're halfway there."  
__. "Maizono, I think your boyfriend is still a little woozy from that hit on the head."  
__. "I think you're right. Naegi, you should go back to sleep."  
__. "But I feel great!"  
__. "GO TO SLEE_P!" Maizono glared at Naegi the most withering glare she could muster. He'd hate to admit it, of course, but to be honest, she was scaring him more than the masked figure.  
. After Maizono left, Fujisaki stuck around.  
_. "Hey, listen, I found something on the servers."_  
_. "Is it about Mukuro Ikusaba?"_  
_. "No, it's about the founder of Hope's Peak Academy. Izuru Kamukura."_  
_. "So, how does that help us?"_  
_. "I'm not sure. Just keep it in mind, it might show up again."_  
. With Fujisaki words in his head, Naegi drifted off to sleep, and when he woke up again. It was 11:30 P.M. There was no one around.  
. He walked to the A/V Room. It appeared Monokuma hadn't tampered with any of the computers. He must be confident that Fujisaki wouldn't be able to find anything. He was terribly bored so he sat down, and opened up a word document.  
. "_Hello, my name is Makoto Naegi. ... And you know what, I can't do it, I feel like Tom Riddle from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Except this doesn't contain my soul. Well, maybe this system of computers contains the soul of Alter-Ego, but does or did Alter Ego have a soul?"  
__. "We've been here around two weeks. I've lost track of the days. I'm sure someone has kept track. No contact with the outside world, barely over half of whom  
we've started with."  
__. _Naegi was just rambling in the word document. It wasn't coherent. It wasn't a story. His thoughts were a mess, the last memory of clarity before he had gotten  
knocked out was that he had picked up that sword.  
_. "Wait, what happened to Peko's sword?" _Naegi suddenly thought.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I had had that proposed backstory for Maizono's blue hair ready since the very first chapter. But I could never work it in until now. Another 4,000+ words. More references. Please leave a review. As of the posting of Chapter 31, I've had no reviews on any chapters after the fourth trial. This story is about to get intense. I guarantee you'll never be able to predict what's coming.


	32. Night Night It's Knuckles

Chapter 32:

_. "Wait, what happened to Peko's sword?" _Naegi suddenly thought.-  
. The thought wouldn't leave him. His attacker had had a dagger. He had had a sword, unsheathed even. He felt there was a loose end. Where had the attacker put the sword? Naegi rushed out of the A/V room, and back to the gymanisum's atirum.  
. The sword was gone, and so was its holster.  
. "_Of course, it's gone._" Naegi shook his head. _"My attacker wanted to leave no evidence behind. So why wasn't I killed? Convienence? Or is the mastermind playing a few moves ahead?"_  
. He started to work through from the opposite approach, if there was one lesson he had learned from the trials, it was how to implement logic.  
. _"So if the mastermind had left evidence, someone might have taken a look at it? But what evidence could be acquired from the fact that I grabbed the sword? Did my attacker do something to the sword?"_  
. The next question that came to mind was "_Who could have possibly gotten any evidence off that sword?"_  
. The answer easily came to him. "_Kyoko Kirigiri."  
. "How could she have possibly gotten any evidence off that sword?"  
. "Or was she leaving evidence on that sword?"_ Naegi was worried. Could Kirigiri be playing a double-role? It didn't seem likely, but it was a possibility he couldn't overlook. But if so, why would she put herself in danger like this? If someone killed her, Monokuma's plan went off the rails. Or was someone else pulling the strings on Kirigiri's orders?  
. If Kirigiri was behind the masked figure, some things fell into place, like why he wasn't killed. After all, it would have meant they hold a class trial, and if they guessed Kirigiri, according to the rules of this School Life of Mutual Killing, she would die in an ironic execution.  
. Naegi looked at the clock. It was 2 AM. He decided to go pacing back to bed. Out two nights a row with a masked figure lurking about, probably wasn't the smartest idea.  
. Togami woke up the following morning, and retrieved some Luwack Coffee, and on his way to the library, noticed that the A/V room door was open. In it he saw an open word document.  
. "_It appears Naegi was here last night." _Togami said. The document had autosaved at a little after 2:15 AM. _"Guy needs to stop staying out so late._" Togami intently looked over. Though the sentences were coherent, there was no structure. It was hardly an account of what had happened in this place.  
. Togami saved the document one last time, and closed it. He doubted Naegi had meant to leave it open, but why the hell was it named 'Makoto Naegi ... And Knuckles.'?  
. "_Truly, I will never understand him."_ Togami sighed.  
_. "Hey, Togami_." Naegi said.  
. Togami jumped slightly in being startled.  
_. "Oh, you're here."  
. "So you read the document, huh."  
. "Yeah. And I have one question."_  
_. "Sure?"_ Naegi said with an impish grin.  
_. "Why the hell did you call it 'Makoto Naegi ... And Knuckles'?"  
. "Because 'And Knuckles' goes with everything."  
. "What?"  
. "Yeah. Hear me out! Celebrity idol, Sayaka Maizono! AND KNUCKLES!"  
. "That doesn't go together at all."  
. "Monokuma and Knuckles."  
. "Stop it._" Togami said, covering his ears. What had he unleashed?  
. "_Mario... And Knuckles."_  
. _"I'm not listening." _Togami said, he walked away. He didn't care that he left his coffee in the A/V room.  
. _"Izuru Kamakura.. and Knuckles."_ That one got Togami to lower his hands.  
_. "Who's Izuru Kamakura?_" Togami said.  
. Naegi leaned in and whispered. _"According to information Fujisaki found. Apparently Izuru Kamakura was the founder of Hope's Peak."  
. "Way back in the 1930s?"  
. "Yeah."  
. "Truly, this is surreal."_ Monokuma said, waddling over, finally showing up with the commotion. "_Makoto Naegi, SDHSL Smartass, is bothering Byakuya Togami with the "And Knuckles" Meme."  
. "See, Monokuma gets the 'And Knuckles' Meme. Why can't you?"  
. "Because this 'And Knuckles Meme' is stupid!"  
. "How dare you!"_ Naegi said in mock outrage._ "I'll have you know the 'And Knuckles' Meme is classic."  
. "Sure it is."  
. "Naegi, what are you doing?"_ Maizono asked.  
. _"You ever hear of Knuckles the Echidna?"_ Monokuma asked.  
_. "Yes. Fujisaki explained his color pallette to me."  
. "Well, it's a running joke to add 'And Knuckles' to stuff because of the 1994 ..."  
. "SEGA Genesis cartridge that was the 2__nd__ half of Sonic 3 &amp; Knuckles. I know. I paid attention to what Fujisaki said all those days ago. I don't know why."  
. "So you're bothering Togami with the 'And Knuckles' Joke."_ Maizono said of Naegi.  
. "_Hey, Maizono, what are you doing, stop dragging me!"  
. "It's funny that Maizono, a girl, is the straight man to Naegi's antics." _Monokuma said to Togami, who had been left dumbfounded.  
_. "I don't care."_ Togami said, and he walked away from Monokuma up the staircase to the second floor.  
_. "Well, well, well."_ Monokuma said, casting a glance aside at the gymnasium.  
. Celeste put on her jacket. Monokuma kept the school at an even twenty degrees celsius. She glanced at her folded up outfit still in its dresser. She hadn't slept well the previous night. It appeared stimulation was running short in this school.  
. She was greeted to another announcement. But this one wasn't from Monokuma.  
. _"Hey, Hey, Hey, Guys. Remember me! I'm sure you do. You first heard me after you discovered Aoi Asahina's body! Anyhow, I'm really enjoying myself. But I feel like I have to prod you guys into doing something."_  
. "_That girl again." _Celeste sighed.  
. "_However, now he's patched me in from the outside. Didn't want me to 'interfere' with the spectacle he's got going on."_  
. The speaker continued. "_Good Nom-Nom-Noming."_  
_. "While I applaud Monokuma for introducing a new announcer and for calling Togami 'a four-eyed lemon', this girl could quickly become irritating fast."_ Celeste sighed.  
. Unbeknownest to her, Fujisaki was having thes ame sentiments.  
. _"Does Monokuma's operator have a bunch of lackeys that he can call on command?" _Fujisaki wondered._  
. "I may only be 162 centimeters tall, but I can sure be a lot of fun to listen to. Or am 164 centimeters? I can't remember the last time I measured myself. I should do so." _the announcer continued.  
_. "If you want us to be interested in what you say, reveal your name!"_ Fujisaki shouted at the monitor.  
. There was a pause of about three seconds.  
_. "No can do, my adorable little programmer!'_  
. Fujisaki noticed the delay. This girl was too excitable not to respond immediately. So what was that delay?  
. "_Hey, whoever you are. Why are you back?"_  
. Again the delay came. _"Because it was boring. And I needed to inject some humor and life into this school."_ The girl was ecstastic. _"I certainly don't want to hear about the Dreamcast all the time."  
. "Screw you, the Dreamcast was awesome._" Fujisaki said, and waited for her reply.  
. _"Yeah, nobody cares."  
. "I care." _Fujisaki muttered silently.  
. Fujisaki turned around and begin wandering to the A/V Room.  
. _"Well, most of the auidence doesn't. Say, Mr. Baseball, what do you mean, who am I talking to specifically? I'm talking to the programmer, duh. You couldn't pick that up from context."_  
. It was at this moment that Togami realized that this girl was basically doing a simultaneous chess exhibition only instead of chess, it was conversations with people.  
_. "And now for something completely different!"_ the girl was bubbling with energy.  
. All the students were surprised when a video clip hit the announcement screen instead.  
. _"The first move requires no pieces. It is the look into the eyes of your opponent. The iron gaze of a warrior. The frozen stare of a man possessed. The piercing glare of a champion. Feel his years. A lifetime of hunger and hope. Triffles and triumphs. Search his heart for fear. Show him none in return."_  
. "_What's going on?"_ Leon was surprised. "_Why is a basketball promo being played?"_  
_. "No single piece can win a match. Combine several, move them in concert, and behold. A synchronized symphony of force. Push forward. Attack. Retreat. Or is it a trick? A ruse to draw out the opposition. Be watchful, as one avenue closes, another one opens. Employ tactics that advance your aims while perplexing your rivals. Be mindful of time, but do not grant a clock authority over your reason."_  
. _"Huh."_ Celeste said. This was different. And she did not like it. Monokuma sure knew how to keep them on their toes.A  
_. "__Defend with vigor. A skilled adversary is beatable when his movements are restricted and his patterns are exposed. Tension grinds at the nerves. Emotion can weigh a man down, or lift him in the air. This is a game of kings. It is a ballet of the brave, choreographed on a wooden slab."  
__. "A chess motif?_" Togami was sure he didn't miss it. _"With basketball?"  
__. __"Promise your foe one thing:doom. Accept only ultimate glory as your prize. Know that winning and losing are black and white. Master this game and you will make the  
final move. After all have fallen, you will stand alone... crown intact."  
_. Togami was stunned as the promo ended.  
_. "I know that promo came out in 2009, but come on, doesn't it apply so well here?"_ the girl was back.  
_. "That was her answer."_ Togami thought. She was throwing things at us that we had never been exposed to before in hopes of making something stick. _"Is this our next motive? Coming not from Monokuma, but from someone else entirely?"  
_. _"Shame Aoi Asahina wasn't here to enjoy it. She would have recognized it immediately."_ the girl was cheerful.  
._ "Is she Monokuma's operator?" _Naegi said.  
_. "Nope._" Monokuma had appeared next to him. _"I let her back on the airwaves. You know, for my entertainment."  
__. "You say that. But you sound like there's an ulterior motive." _Naegi said.  
_. "Oooh, she's launching into another promo."_ Monokuma said.  
. But it wasn't a promo. It was a song.  
_. "'Amazing'" by Kanye West."_ Monokuma noted as he left Naegi with a disturbed look on his face. _"Interesting choice."  
__. "What is this?"_ Naegi was perturbed. What was happened? Monokuma's operator had brought in someone else to announce, and had given them free reign to put whatever they want on the monitors.  
. "_ And now I have a movie that I'm going to play. It's called 'This is Spinal Tap'."_ the announcer was going off the deep end.  
_. "No, Mr. Ace Pitcher, I don't care that's it's an R-rated movie released in 1984. It's amazing. A pure eleven out of ten. Oh, and SDHSL Troper, Chihiro Fujisaki, for the record, it's where the Tv Codifier 'Up To Eleven' came from."  
_. _"This is insane."_ Naegi said.  
_. "Hmmm." _the girl struggled. "_Sorry folks, looks like I don't have my copy with me. Perhaps another time, then?"  
_. Naegi blew a sigh of relief. He paced up through the school, running into Fujisaki on the third floor.  
._ "Hey, Chihiro."  
__. "Where are you going?"  
__. "To the Physics Lab."  
__. "What for?"  
__. "I don't know."  
__. _The girl was still going on, and on. "_Alright, since I can't play 'This is Spinal Tap', I can play instead... What can I play?"  
_. It sounded like she was clicking on something with a mouse. _"What can I pull up in my music library? Led Zeppelin? The Beatles? Adelitas Way? ... No, wait. What's that you said? Tokyo Drift? Listen, you mechanic, I know you like the Fast &amp; Furious series as much as anyone, but come on."  
_. There was a pause, and Fujisaki's eyes went wide. Another one, yet unseen, of Monokuma's subordinates?  
. _"I'm not going to play the audio of all of the Fast and Furious Trailers to them."_ the girl continued to argue with someone else on her end.  
. _"We're being played with. Like toys."_ Togami was not amused. It was bad enough when Monokuma had one subordinate he could call upon, but how many did he have?  
. "_Oooo, 'Walk the Dinosaur' by 'Was Not Was', this one is going to be good."  
_. After 'Walk the Dinosaur', the girl put on 'Smooth Criminal' by Michael Jackson, and then followed it up with 'Sophomore Slump or Comeback of the Year' by Fallout Boy.  
. Celeste couldn't believe it was only 11 AM. This day was already becoming really weird, and I only got weirder.  
. "_Now it's time for 'Still Alive'."_ the girl intoned."_You know, from Portal?"  
__. "Okay, now we're just getting mocked."_ Fujisaki said. His eyes went wide with the girl's next musical choice. "_What? I know this track. It's from Silver's first cutscene in 06!"_  
_. "'Always Something There to Remind Me' by the Naked Eyes?"_ Maizono said, of the following song.  
_. "This is a joke. At least, Monokuma's motives were designed to get us to do what he wanted. What's the point about playing this?"_ Naegi said, as the eight minute track, 'Money For Nothing' by Dire Staits started up.  
. The students could only stay in silence as Dire Straits was followed by 'Somebody's Watching Me' by Rockwell and then R.E.M.s 'It's The End of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)'. The Battle of Yavin background music from Star Wars came next.  
. "_Ooo, how about one for Yamada?. Straight from 1998, it's opening track of 'Serial Experiments Lain'! Introducing 'Duvet'!_"  
. For the next hour and a half, Naegi wandered the halls on the third floor with the eeriest soundtrack. 'Serial Experiments Lain', that name rang a bell, where did that name ring a bell?  
. Naegi could almost imagine Yamada saying, "_**Master Makoto Naegi, how could you not have known about Serial Experiments Lain'? It was released in 1998. Thirteen episodes. Since it's such an old anime, even before taking the 4:3 aspect ratio into account, you can tell because there's a lot of pan-and-scan of still frames, I imagine, for budgetary purposes."  
**_. Wait, he had never seen the show. Then why was he getting a headache from this? It must have been the music. His eyes followed something rolling on the floor, something bronze.  
. It was a Monokuma Coin. That's right. Monokuma had planted them school, but as far as Naegi knew none of the students were actually taking part in his 'scavenger hunt'. Come to think of it, Naegi still had the other coin he had picked up in his pocket. Maybe he would try that Mono-Machine himself later.  
. Naegi stared at his hand with the original coin. He had picked it up his first night, well before any of the murders had happened. It had been before Oogami and Enoshima's double-knockout, before Ishimaru's death, and Oowada's murder, and Genocider's replacement of Fukawa, and before Hagakure, Asahina, and Yamada's deaths, why had he kept the coin in his pocket all this time?  
. His thoughts were interupted with a music switch. _"Hey, is that the Numa Numa song? If that isn't a throwback to 2005, I don't know what is."  
_. Right before night-time, Naegi took his two coins to the Mono-Mono Machine. He put them in, and got a pair of presents.  
. _"Huh, a silent reciever? And a Self-Destructing Cassette?"  
__. "Hey, Naegi?"  
__. "Kirigiri?"  
__. "Playing with the Mono-Mono Machine?"  
__. "Yeah, I got a silent reciever and a self-destructing cassette."  
__. "Is that so? Here, let me try, I have a coin of my own."  
_. Kirigiri inserted a coin.  
. _"Looks like today's the day of useless tech. I got a silent reciever too."  
__. "Well, the guide says that the reciever wouldn't let either person hear each other."  
__. "So I suppose using them to call each other would be pointless."  
__. "Can they even call each other?"  
_. Naegi tried it out. Sure enough, they could call each other, but it wouldn't do them much good if they couldn't talk on them.  
_. "Hey, I wonder if Fujisaki could rig up the cassette to the reciever?"  
__. "He's a programmer, not a mechanic. And even if the cassette functioned after more than one message, we'd would just be playing rudimentary voicemail with each other."  
__. "Yeah, good point. Phone-tag isn't exactly a desirable method of communication."  
__. "Still, it's better to have them. We may put them to some use."  
_. Naegi sighed and rubbed his eyes. He sure was tired.  
_. "Naegi, are you feeling alright?"  
__. "Yeah, I'm just going to go to bed."  
_. He left to his room. Fifteen minutes later, Togami had made a startling discovery in the gymnasium, and had gathered everyone else.  
_. "Listen up, Monokuma is lying unconscious here. I propose we get to dismantling him." Togami suggested of Celeste, Fujisaki, Leon, Genocider, and Maizono.  
__. "Yeah, but what if it's a trap."_ Leon asked.  
_. "And where are Kirigiri and Naegi?_" Celeste asked.  
. _"I saw Naegi go into his room. I tried knocking on Naegi's door, but he wouldn't come out." _Togami said. "_And I can't find Kirigiri. I don't particularly care. If Naegi doesn't leave his room or let anyone else in, neither he nor Kirigiri can murder each other."  
__. "But..."_ Fujisaki said, squatting down to Monokuma. "_this could be dangerous. Do you remember what happened when Oowada grabbed Monokuma? He blew up a few moments later."  
__. "Yeah, I suppose."_ Togami said. _"But we've reached the point where there's nothing to be gained without risk."  
__. _It was at that moment Maizono knew that tonight was going to be a long night.  
_. "Alright, we're going to attack Monokuma's weak point for massive damage!" _Fujisaki said, excitedly, pulling out his tool kit.  
. "_Dude, you seem a little too excited."_ Leon said.  
._ "Course I am. I've been itching for a chance to disect Monokuma ever since I laid eyes on his machinry." _Fujisaki was not going to pass up this chance.  
_. "Alright. Where do we start?"_ Leon said.  
_. "What do you mean?"_ Genocider said.  
_. "I'm not seeing anything screws or any weakpoints whatsoever."_ Leon said. "_There's nowhere to just pry him open."  
__. "We'll see about that._" Fujisaki said.  
_. "Woah, he is very determined."_ Genocider said. It was the safe to say that nobody here cared for Monokuma, but to display this level of intent to dismantle. Naegi wasn't the only one that changed with the extreme situation.  
. Fujisaki began by inspecting the feet.  
. "_It's like everything has been welded together." _Fujisaki said_. "I wonder if either of the science labs has other tools."  
__. "What do you need?" _Togami said.  
_. "I need us to move Monokuma up to the Chemistry Lab."_ Fujisaki said.  
_. "Why?"_ Celeste asked,  
. _"There should be bunsen burners in the chemistry lab. If we can hook up one to the gas, and get it alight..."  
__. "Are you saying we should burn through Monokuma?"  
__. "He's made of metal, and fuck it, he's deactivated."  
__. "I just need an opening for us to work through."  
__. "Don't you know what happens if you put a fork in a microwave?"_ Togami asked.  
_. "Yeah, but Monokuma's not going to be surrounded by high energy heat waves."_ Fujisaki argued.  
. "_Couldn't too much heat melt the circuitry?_" Genocider asked.  
_. "And what about his backups?_" Leon said.  
_. "If we were __going to here something from his backups, my suggestion that we heat Monokuma up would have done something." _Fujisaki countered.  
. __**"Yeah. For starters, why is this mastermind hiding behind a robotic teddy bear? Why not show its face directly? I mean, beyond the initial shock factor, it's not practical. What if it breaks down in front of us, and Fujisaki gets a chance to dissect it?"**__Maizono remembered Naegi saying on their very first night trapped in this school.  
. Everybody followed as Leon and Fujisaki carried Monokuma up to the Chemistry Lab.  
. "_Shoot, the gas in the lab isn't working."  
_. They all marched back down in frustration. Along the way, Fujisaki and Leon stopped in the Physics Lab.  
._ "Ah ha. Get a load of this." _Fujisaki said, triumphantly, holding up some metallic pins.  
. _"Get a load of what? Those?" _Leon asked quizzically.  
. "_Alright, no, don't you see? If we combine these with the hammers from the art room, we can crack that Monokuma wide open."  
__. "You really are stoked."  
__. "Gee, you noticed."  
_. Leon smirked. Fujisaki had an energy about him that the group sorely needed if they were going to stay awake throughout the night.  
. Fifteen minutes later, the rest of the group was sitting around in the gymnasium, watching Fujisaki pry at Monokuma with no luck.  
_. "What's it even made of?_" Togami asked. "_We might be able to do something chemical with it, if we knew what it was made of."  
__._ "_Partly Tungsten Carbide." _Genocider said._ "And I think there's an Aluminum alloy mixed in there. Maybe some Kevlar too. At least that's what the outside is made of."  
__. "Seriously?" _Leon asked_. "How do you know this?"  
__. "I... don't know. Maybe Mrs. Gloomy knew. But as to how she learned about what Monokuma was made of, I have no idea."_ Genocider admitted.  
. _"So how did Fukawa learn about it?" _Leon asked.  
. _"If I knew that, I would tell you."_ Genocider snapped at him.  
_. "Ah!"_ Leon took a step back.  
. Much of the night was spent without luck. Every hour and a half or so, Fujisaki was able to make some progress. He could dismantle another limb here, an eye socket there. When he got to the torso, he made a startling discovery.  
_. "So this is what blew Monokuma up the first time?"_ Fujisaki said.  
_. "Holy Shit!"_ Celeste said. _"Is that a bomb?"  
__. "It appears to be so." _Togami said.  
_. "Is it motion-activated?"_ Leon asked.  
_. "Probably."_ Togami admitted  
_. "What? Dude."_ Leon replied.  
. _"Well, it would explain a lot." _Togami said. _"Monokuma appears to have been designed and built by an extremely skilled mechanic."  
__. "You think they could be mass-produced?" _Celeste said. The idea discomforted her to no end.  
. _"Mass-produced Monokumas on an assembly line? Henry Ford style? Dear God. I hope not."_ Togami said. _"Imagine that bear with its operator running rampant throughout the world. One Monokuma's weaponry potential is massive."  
__. "Well, if it does have Kevlar in it like Genocider thinks it does, then it would have a field day in America."_ Fujisaki said.  
. _"What?"  
__. "When they aren't invading the wrong country, Americans' solution to massive problems is to shoot at it and hope it goes away."_ Togami said._ "I wish I could say I was kidding, but I've been to America with my father for business meetings. I've seen their news."  
__. "Wow."_ Leon said.  
_. "Although Monokuma's about as pleasant as an aritifical Chaos in Eternal Engine, the bullets might richochate if they were fired at Monokuma."_ Fujisaki said. _"Cue an early line of Sonic Adventure. 'Oh no. Our weapons are useless!'"  
__. "You lost me."_ Maizono said.  
. "_Well, there are two ways to make things bulletproof."_ Togami said. "_One is to absorb the collision of the bullet fragments, the other is to reflect it."  
__. "It doesn't really matter if Monokuma is bullet proof." _Genocider said. _"It's not like we have access to guns in here anyway."  
_. Celeste raised an eyebrow. "_I suppose that gun outside the changing rooms is just an illusion then."  
_. _ "Huh. I guess you're right."  
_. The rest of the night was ueventful. Fujisaki managed to get Monokuma's head isolated.  
. _"That's strange? Why does Monokuma have a 2.0 USB cord as an output?"  
_. With this discovery, Leon and Fujisaki brought Monokuma's head to the A/V Room. While Fujisaki began combing through Monokuma's code, the rest of the group began inspecting the rest of Monokuma.  
_. Hey, guys, what's up?"_ Naegi said, walking in.  
._ "Well, well, well. Look who finally showed up."_ Togami said from in-between his teeth.  
. _"What the hell?"_ Naegi said, staring at them.  
. "We were up all night, dismantling Monokuma." Maizono said. "_Togami tried to get you, but you wouldn't come out. Leon and Fujisaki are inspecting its code right now."  
__. "Speaking of which, let's see how they're doing." _Togami said to see what Fujisaki and Leon were up to. Everybody made to follow him. It seemed so natural to follow Byakuya Togami, the heir to the illustrious Togami conglomorate. When they got there, Fujisaki had a shocking announcement for the other five students.  
_. "This is... this is similar to Alter Ego."_ Fujisaki said.  
_. "Seriously?" _Celeste said. "_Maybe somebody else stole a baseline program from you."  
__. "No, the way the code is commented leads me to believe otherwise. It's something either my father or I would have written. That being said, I don't think my father has anything to do with Monokuma. And I don't remember commenting on this code."  
__."So does that mean you're a traitor?" _Genocider said.  
_. "If he was a traitor, would he have revealed to us anything about the code?"_ Togami said. _"It's entirely possible the code was repurposed. Everyone, I've come to a decision. We're going to break down the headmaster's door."  
__. "What?" _Naegi said. _"That is a terrible idea. Absolutely horrible."  
__. "Hey, you weren't here. You don't get to say anything."_ Togami replied.  
. Naegi sighed as everybody made their way to the fourth had a really bad feeling about this. Was it because he was the only one who had gotten any sleep last night? He felt he was remembering things that should have been forgotten.  
_. "Genocider, it is now 9 AM. Go fetch a pickaxe from the shed in the garden." _Togami commanded.  
_. "Alright, my dear."_ Genocider said.  
_. "And now we see."_ Togami said, stroking the door. _"What secrets are behind you?"  
_. A minute later, Genocider came back. She had news to report.  
_. "What about the pickaxe?"_ Togami said, angrily.  
. _"Yeah, sorry, my White Knight. Something else has come up."_ Genocider admitted.  
_. "What do you mean by that?"  
__. "Why is there a masked corpse in the garden?_"

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Please leave a review, and stay tuned. I'm about to pack this fanfiction with so much stuff it's going to need its own page.

HIATUS(BEGUN: 7-12-16): I'm sorry. But between my computer being out for repairs, and with Dangan Ronpa 3 beginning its subbed release, I'm going to put this story on Hiatus. I don't intend to waste all 61 reviews for this story I've have so far, and will return to SDHSL Smartass as soon as Dangan Ronpa 3 wraps up. So here's a little something I intended to reveal later on the story. That girl that Monokuma has been patching in is ... SDHSL Musician Ibuki Mioda. (With Dangan Ronpa 2's characters set to make an appearance in 3, I don't want to continue to write Ibuki's (or any of the Remnants of Despair) characterization inconsistent to canon. (If applicable.))

I've already put in a few theories on DR3's Wild Mass Guessing Page. Here's to hoping they're right. (Fake-Out Death, Double KO, and deaths being revealed out of order.)

7-15-16: After watching the first episode of both, and seeing Chiaki in the flesh. I have a new theory. Chiaki and Chihiro are siblings split apart by divorce at a young age. This would continue to explain her father as a programmer, while having a brother.

7-18-16: I have another theory. Chiaki is Monokuma. Well, where could I possibly come up with that? It would be the most out-there plot-twist that there is. (I'm assuming most of you have played the three games out at this point.) As of DR2, it is confirmed that Chiaki in-game was not a former Remnant of Despair.

7-28-16 So I posted the idea that DR3's traitor could be Kirigiri a few days ago. (Check my Tumblr page for details)

Also, I'm wondering where (if) Natsumi's hitman is. (If you're not sure who Natsumi is, well she's Fuyuhiko's little sister.

8-18-16: I theorize that Ryouta Mitarai in Mirai-Hen has survivor's guilt about being in 77-B. I also am theorizing that his forbidden action is that he can't reveal that he's was in 77-B.

9-12-16 I have floated the possiblity of the Future Foundation's 13th branch member being someone from Absolute Despair Girls. (Hagakure's mother, Haji Towa, or someone like that.


	33. Live! The Queen's Gambit

Chapter 33: Well, DR3 Episodes Continue to be Delayed: If you're looking for a show to watch while you wait, might I recommend Unbreakable Machine Doll? It's been dubbed as well. (Both versions are available on iTunes.) It's made by the same studio that animates Dangan Ronpa 3. And for the life of me I can not figure out why there were no issues with the Lerche-Funimation collaboration on that show while almost every episode of DR3 since Despair-6 has seen some sort of delay. But the despair side of DR3 has made me glad I opened with that double KO. I'd been second-guessing that decision.

_"There wasn't supposed to be a corpse."_ Byakuya Togami thought. "_Why was there a corpse?"  
. "Judging by the general shape, it appears to be a teenage female."_ Celeste noted.  
_. "Hey guys, doesn't it seem a little quiet?" _Genocider said.  
_. "You're right, there's no body announcement."_ Naegi said, catching on.  
_. "Well, who could it be?" _Genocider asked.  
_. "It's either Kirigiri or our sixteenth student, Mukuro Ikusaba."_ Fujisaki said.  
_. "What?" _Togami said.  
_. "It's something I found hidden in a batch of files. There was a sixteen student that was supposed to have joined us."_ Fujisaki said.  
_. "Well, let's find out._" Genocider said, as she went to pull the mask off.  
_. "Hey, wait!"_ Togami called out, but it was too late. The body exploded, and the knife that had been sticking out of her body whizzed and caught Naegi on the cheek.  
_. "Aah."_ Naegi could feel the sting of the cut.  
_. "Oh, fuck this._" Togami said. "_Everybody help me put this corpse out."_ He began grabbing buckets of water to extinguish the corpse.  
. A couple of minutes later, a wet corpse sat upon the floor of the garden.  
_. "I had some uneasiness about the body, but I didn't expect it to explode." _Togami said, as he noticed something in the corpse's hand.  
. "_Find something, Togami?_" Celeste asked.  
_. "Maybe?_" Togami said. _"I'm going to go check out what this key could be."  
_. It was at that moment that Naegi felt an intense bout of melancholy.  
_. "Wait..._" Celeste said. "_We have another dead body. You can't be alone. Not when the rest of us are together."  
__. "But Kirigiri isn't here."_ Togami pointed out.  
_. "She very well could be."_ Maizono said, shaking her head, pointing at the corpse.  
_. "We have to assume that Kirigiri is the one dead." _Naegi said. "_We've never seen Mukuro Ikusaba before. Don't know a thing about her. There's nothing to identify her."  
__. "Actually, there is._" Togami said. _"Monokuma made it very explicit before he went offline that Kirigiri had stolen a key."  
__. "And there you go making assumptions again." _Fujisaki said. _"Doesn't mean the key she stole and this key are one and the same."  
__. "Occam's Razor."_ Togami countered.  
_. "But Monokuma is well-aware of Occam's Razor."  
_. Leon was continuing to pace around the body in a slight shock.  
_. "Hey, what's this mark?" It was a wolf tattoo.  
__. "It looks like a military mark."_ Togami said.  
. _"As far as I know, Kirigiri had no military marks on her hands."_ Leon said..  
_. "That's because her hands were always covered with gloves." _Maizono pointed out.  
_. "Of course, it could be the mastermind._" Celeste said.  
_. "So it isn't Kyoko or Mukuro._" Naegi pointed out.  
_. "Oh, I never said that being Kyoko or Mukuro was mutually exclusive to being the mastermind."_ Celeste said.  
_. "The mastermind getting offed? Something's not right." _Maizono said.  
_. "Ordinarily, it's not a possibility." _Togami said. _"But in this case, I have reason to to be true. It would explain the matter of Monokuma being offline. If I had to choose a chess openingto describe, I'd choose the Queen's Gambit. Though whether we decline or accept remains to be seen."  
__. "Queen's Gambit?" _Fujisaki asked.  
_. "It's a line that starts with 1. d4 d5. 2 c4. It's been confirmed to have been created before 1497, it was the most popular during the 1920s and 1930s. In the 1845 text, "Amusements in Chess" by Charles Tolminson, it was referred to as the Aleppo Gambit by a French composer named Phildor. In any case, the second name is honor of Philip Stamma, himself a native of the city, Allepo in the Syria part of the Ottoman Empire."  
__. "Thanks for the history lesson?" _Maizono was surprised. Togami knowing chess openings wasn't too far-fetched, but incorporating them into seeing a corpse was something else.  
_. "What's interesting is that Black has two options in the opening. The first is simply accepting it with 2 d5xc4, going temporarily up a pawn but losing a tempo and leaving a target for White's Kingside Bishop. However, there are a variety of ways to decline it. There's the regular way with 2 e6. At the same time, one could employ the Marshall Defense: 2. Nf6 to defend the d-pawn. 2 c6 which is the Slav Defense is also a possibility. And of course, there's the Baltic Defense where the Queenside Bishop is developed with 2. f5. And how could I forget the Symmetrical Defense developed in 1605 with 2. c5?" _Togami continued.  
_. "Not a word of that made any sense to me, Togami. So... Well, it's definitely not the headmaster._" Leon said. _"I'm pretty sure the usual headmaster is not a teenage girl."  
__. "So whether it's Mukuro or Kyoko, the mastermind is definitely a teenage girl? I mean, that's the only way to play with the ambiguity." _Maizono said.  
. _"It appears that way."_ Naegi said.  
_. "That bitch. If it's the other girl who's dead, I'll make her pay."_ Maizono grumbled. "_Although I sincerely hope that I'm standing next to the mastermind's charboiled remains."  
_. _"Huh."_ Fujisaki said.  
_. "What I mean, is if we're standing over Kyoko's corpse and Mukuro is the mastermind,...and vice-versa."_ Maizono said.  
_. "Would you like to teach me how to use my Genoscissors?"_ Genocider asked Maizono.  
_. "Please no." _Naegi said. He had a bad feeling about Maizono learning from Genocider.  
_. "That... actually sounds pretty good. It'd be a neat skill to have."_ Maizono admitted.  
_. "Sweet."_ Genocider said.  
_. "Please don't go psychotic. Please don't go psychotic."_ Naegi whispered to himself.  
_."Hey, is anybody else disturbed by how calm we're being?"_ Leon said.  
. _"Well, let's see we've seen the corpses of Oogami, Enoshima, Ishimaru, Oowada, Hagakure, and Asahina and watched Yamada been executed." _Celeste said. _"I think it's safe to say we've gotten used to it."  
_. Naegi blinked. _"Wait a minute, has Yamada been the only one executed?"  
__. "No, Fukawa. But Genocider Shou just came out instead. And Alter Ego, yeah, that's strange." _Celeste said.  
_. "Guys, focus on the corpse in front of us." _Togami said, attempting to get the group back on track.  
_. "Picking up the slack for Kirigiri?" _Celeste asked.  
_. "You know, come to think of it, even the explosion was done perfectly." _Leon admitted_. "I know I shouldn't be admired that kind of skill, but still."  
_. As Togami knelt down to examine the body, he made a split-second decision. "_Naegi, you're trustworthy enough. Take this key and figure out what it opens. It could open the biology lab, the headmaster's room, or even the second floor dorm rooms.  
__. "Careful, she's still a girl."_ Maizono said to Togami.  
_. "I don't plan on touching it. I'm not Kyoko."_ Togami replied.  
. "_What am I, his errand boy?_" Naegi silently snarked.  
. He decided to start by checking the biology lab. The key wasn't even close to fitting.  
_. "No dice."  
_. Hands in his pockets, Naegi was on the third floor before he even realized it.  
. "_Oh, wait, the headmaster's room is on the fourth floor. Nah. I'll get on the way back."  
_. He continued onwards, making a wrong turn towards the Physics lab, and resetting himself in the right direction.  
. _"Was this part of the third floor always illuminated with pale blue light?"  
_. He trudged along down the stairs to the second floor, and down to the first floor. Along the way, he checked some classes and other rooms to see if they had seen any changes, but there were none.  
. _"It feels like I'm being railroaded here."_ Naegi noted. "_There's nothing...no change. No sign of Kyoko either."  
_. He finally reached the gate that blocked off the second floor dorms, and inserted the key. Unsurprisingly, it didn't work.  
_. "Ah, well, at least I established that the first three floors have nothing to do with this case."  
_. Naegi began the long walk back up to the fourth floor.  
**. **__**"Yeah. For starters, why is this mastermind hiding behind a robotic teddy bear? Why not show its face directly? I mean, beyond the initial shock factor, it's not practical. What if it breaks down in front of us, and Fujisaki gets a chance to dissect it?"  
**__. Naegi passed the cafeteria, and the blood-red double doors that they had headed to for every class trial. Along the way, he put his hand on a bolted window. He wondered how his sister and his parents were doing. Surely, there were fine. Though that video had been attempting to imply otherwise.  
. "**_**Ten Centimeters. That's all we are away from freedom. Just ten centimeters. Just the width of a perimeter wall from getting out of here. Ten centimeters. Such a short distance, and long trek to get there. And now, two of our number are dead. And I was there. I witnessed it happen right in front of me, and yet ... when it's all said and done... could I have done more?"  
**_**. "_Wait, why are they bolted from the __inside?"  
_. He was about to go up the stairs. He saw the atrium and remembered about his encounter with the masked figure. He knew now that it was Mukuro Ikusaba and not Kyoko Kirigiri.  
. Beyond the atrium was the gymnasium where Oogami and Enoshima had killed each other, and Junko Enoshima had given her life for him. Makoto Naegi. The average guy. The Luckster, and what had been Monokuma's motive? Despair.  
. __**Are you serious**___**? Y**___**ou want us to experience a single emotion?  
**__. He climbed the staircase to the second floor.  
**. "W**__**e are NOT, under any circumstances, ADDING PEOPLE."  
**__. Monokuma's statements made it seem like Mukuro Ikusaba had been there from the beginning. But how? Nobody had seen her since they first arrived. And now she turned up dead. If she hadn't been dead when they found her, she certainly was dead when she blew up.  
. As he reached the fourth floor, he decided to check the headmaster's office. Makoto looked at the keyhole, but they didn't match up. It wasn't even worth it to try.  
. That left the Data Center. Naegi trudged over. If the key didn't open the Data Center, then it would be a red herring.  
. 'Click.' The key fit in perfectly.  
. Naegi cautiously opened the door and was greeted with television screens, showing what seemed to be every room in this school. Since he figured there would be no cameras in here, he pressed the button on his silent receiver.  
_. "So that's how the mastermind was able to keep track of us. But wait a minute, if the corpse had the key, wouldn't that make her the mastermind?"  
_. Naegi glanced at the monitor showing the world.  
_. "There's really a ridiculous amount of monitors in here."  
_. There was a set of computers that appeared to be really high tech, they were better than what Alter Ego had been installed on. Naegi casually sat down in the armchair. He was no Fujisaki but he figured he might as well try on a few password attempts on the computer.  
. Meanwhile...  
. _"What is taking him so long?" _Togami was getting annoyed. _"Where is he? Makoto Naegi should have been back by now."  
__. "He must have found something." _Maizono said. "_I'll go and find him."  
__. "No, I'll do it." _Fujisaki said. _"I'm not much use at guard duty or inspecting bodies."  
_. Fujisaki immediately ran down the fifth floor, no sign of Naegi. He checked the classrooms. There was no sign of Makoto. If the headmaster's study was unlocked, the door would have been open. He spotted that the door of the Data Center was open on the fourth floor like a program line written with a comma instead of a semicolon.  
._ "Naegi?"  
__. "Oh, Fujisaki... do you think you could try something on this?"  
__. "Maybe? But I haven't the faintest idea about the password. If I had Alter Ego, maybe this could go smoothly, but Alter Ego's deleted and gone."  
__. "I'll go and get the others."_ Naegi said, throwing the key and leaving Fujisaki and dashing up to the fifth floor.  
. Fujisaki occupied the armchair. There was an immediate thought.  
_. "Wait, what if?"  
_. Fujisaki had guessed correctly.  
. _"Well, D-E-S-P-A-I-R isn't exactly a secure password."  
__."Oh, ho, Fujisaki. I underestimated your skill as the Ultimate High-School Level Programmer."  
_. Fujisaki swiveled the chair.  
. "_Oh, it's you."_ His words were not as surprised as he felt.  
_._ A moment passed, and then...  
_. "Naegi!"  
__. "Listen, Fujisaki is in the data center! That key unlocked the data center."_ Naegi said, panting.  
._ "Everyone to the data center!"_ Togami commanded.  
. The six individuals in the garden left. Maizono and Naegi took off in a sprint. Celeste and Leon jogged. Togami and Genocider took off in a stroll. Their speeds were an indicator of their concern.  
. Meanwhile, Fujisaki was paying attention to a door with Monokuma painted on it.  
. "_This door's kinda creepy. What could be inside?"  
_. Fujisaki rattled the door.  
_. "No luck. But maybe if I used that key that Naegi tossed me."  
_. Fujisaki tried the key. The key did not fit into the keyhole.  
. As the six entered the Data Center, they were surprised to see Fujisaki in front of T.V. It was showing a picture. And Naegi immediately noticed that as they stepped so too did they appear on the screen of the television.  
. _"What's wrong with this television?"_ Fujisaki demanded. He alone appeared unfazed. "_This feed is coming from the surveillenance cameras. It doesn't matter which camera I put on. It's just this feed."  
__. "That's strange."_ Togami said. _"Quit fooling around, and fix it."  
__. "It is fixed!"_ Fujisaki shook his heads. _"It's just that every channel except one is showing us!"  
__. "Well, what's the one that's NOT showing us?_" Togami asked impatiently.  
_. "This."  
_. The television channel was most definitely not showing the students.  
._** "We're no strangers to love./ You know the rules and so do I."  
**__. "A Rick'Roll Channel?"_ Naegi said, in disbelief.  
_**. "I just wanna tell you how I'm feeling/Gotta make you understand."  
**__. "Hello, guys!"  
_. Naegi could hear a pin drop.  
_. "Monokuma!"  
__. "How in the world are you still alive?" _Leon said.  
_. "You're supposed to be dead." _Maizono said, shaking her head._ "This can't be happening. This can't be happening."  
__. "Well, score one for surprises."_ Celeste said, attempting a bored tone, but coming off fearful instead.  
_. "Gyaaaahaaahaha! Me, dead?! Don't be freakin' stupid." _Monokuma replied, chortling.  
_. "You're different." _Celeste said. _"I don't know what it is."  
__. "Of course, I'm different! Evolution is perfectly natural."  
__. "You're robotic! You don't obey the rules of Darwin!" _Fujisaki replied.  
_. "After all, I've been hibernating for two years."  
__. "Your timeline is a bit off." _Naegi said.  
_. "Not even! It's been like half a day at MOST!"_ Leon complained.  
_. "Well, it's what I wanted to see –The moment you went from hope to despair..."  
_. _Not really, you've just pissed me off." _Naegi said.  
_. "Don't tell me you pretended to be dead, all for this moment...?"  
__. "Why would a bear pretend to be dead? You're the ones who should pretend to be dead when you see a bear? Well, anyway, it's almost time to cut off your past so full of hope, and begin the despair ahead at the future ahead of you! I want you to all have way more fun in this killing game."  
__. __**"We know the game and we're going to play it."  
**__. "No way, we have to continue." _Maizono asked, the blood draining from her face.  
_. "Shit, we were supposed to get out of here." _Leon said.  
_. "Get out of here!"_ Monokuma laughed. "_Even everything that's transpired, you're still holding onto that? How do you not understand yet? There is NO getting out of here. That never has been, and there never will be."  
__. "We'll see about that." _Naegi muttered.  
. "_Although, I'll be honest, you guys really struck gold when you found that TV. Yes, indeed! That TV is an essential part of your school life here."  
__. "I knew it was hiding some secret of some kind."_ Togami started.  
._ "Well, it's time to be honest. I never expected so many of you to reach the fifth trial. But it's time I'm going to let you in on a blood-gushing secret and tell you all about it! That killing game is being broadcast live to the entire world! It's the most popular thing on TV!"  
__. "It can't be ... Have they taken over the airwaves somehow?" _Togami was shocked.  
_. "All you need is one weird trick I found, and taking over the airwaves was easy."  
__. "Oh no..."_ Fujisaki thought to himself.  
_. "But to take control of all communications like that, you'd need an astronomical amount of resources."_ Togami countered.  
. "_The camera feed is being broadcast...? No way, that's impossible!_" Leon said.  
_. "Of course, and you should see our ratings. The Naegami fangirls alone would have been enough to keep our show going strong for several seasons."  
__. "Oh, you have got be kidding me."_ Fujisaki said.  
_. "Naegami?_" Togami and Naegi said in unison. Togami in confusion. Naegi in dread.  
_. "Oh yeah. And a surprising amount of people pair up Celeste x Leon right now. And Fujisaki x Dreamcast." _Monokuma replied. _"Celeste's_ _popularity's only going up since the wardrobe change. That and character development. I couldn't have written a better script myself."  
__. "How? She tried to kill me!" _Leon said, pointing on Celeste.  
_. "You think that matters to the fanbase? Maizono could try to kill Leon and there would be a bunch of people who would pair them up. Although it distress me that most of my viewers haven't fallen in despair yet."  
__. "How do you figure that?"_ Fujisaki said, relying on the comfort of the chair for support at this turn of events.  
._ "The fanart, fanfiction, reddit threads, memes, abridged series, and tvtropes pages say otherwise."_ Monokuma said, downtroddenly. _"I mean I did become the producer of a reality tv show of despair. But people are now saying that it's been such a deconstruction of actual 'reality tv', it's driven the rest of the genre to extinction. I mean, why bothered with all that editing when you can show raw footage of legitimately interesting people. The cost has gone down exponentially. I'm actually disappointed that I did that. Maybe I'll edit this down to a season of twelve or thirteen episodes."  
__. "Excuse me?_" Maizono said.  
._ "No more crap reality tv shows. So how about it, Maizono? Looks like you never really left the spotlight after all."  
__. "Monokuma, shut up!" _Maizono was livid.  
_. "Congratulations, Monokuma. You did some good in the world."_ Naegi snarked. _"And thirteen episodes? Do you know how much content and character would be lost in condensation. How could the story be satsfying in the slightest?"  
__. "Oh, well, that wasn't my intention."  
_. _"So we're broadcasting all over the world?"_ Naegi said.  
._ "Yes. And I've even stayed on top of things and gotten the subtitles for North America live as soon as footage airs over there. Who do you think I am? Funimation and Lerche? Though I am looking forward to seeing their potential 'Unbreakable Machine Doll' adaptation. Whoops. That wasn't supposed to be revealed to the public yet! Ah well, I have a gut feeling that for any potential quality, it's not going to attract enough viewers in order to get itself a second season produced regardless." _Monokuma looked downtrodden.  
_. "You mean, all my references have reached a wide audience. Does this mean I get to lean on the fourth wall as much as I want?"_ Naegi said.  
. Maizono shot Naegi a death glare. Naegi pretended not to notice.  
. _"What about the police? Nobody attempted to get us out?"_ Leon said.  
_. "Oh really, remember when you were swinging your baseball bat at the window coverings in fury? Didn't you hear gunshots and helicopters? But I guess the ability to scout talent doesn't translate to the ability to scout a battlefield or run a siege."_ Monokuma countered.  
_. "Oh...no..."_ Leon said, realization dawning upon not just him, but the rest of the cast as well.  
. "Monokuma said. _"I mean, I'm so proud. You're all so entertaining. You know, when I started this game. I thought 'Who would want to pay attention to a show about this?' But I went ahead with it. And it's because such the hit. I'm still working on getting foreign versions exported though."  
__. "Say what?"_ Leon said in disbelief.  
_. "Obviously, the memes aren't anything like 'Spinzaku', but I did find the online meme/theory 'JUNKOs' amusing.  
__. "'JUNKOs?"_ Naegi said.  
. _"Yeah, and YOU'RE THE ORIGIN! People were wondering how and why the model would swoop in to save the game's resident ahoge dork. The Luckster with no luck. The short, little, unimposing, Makoto Naegi. The resident theory is that there's a clone or something like that."  
__. "Enough."_ Maizono said. "Y_ou don't need to hear this, Naegi."  
__. "Oh, and another meme I found great. Byakuya's money fetish."  
__. "Excuse me?"_ Togami said. "_I have no such thing._"  
. _"Yeah."_ Monokuma said. _"Doesn't stop it from producing many amusing online results. Do you want to see? No. Of course you don't."  
_. When Togami looked stunned, Monokuma said.  
_. "Listen when you guys introduced yourself to each other, I had a quick bio thrown up. It was cool too, with the circles and individual colors with your talents and everything. Should I play it?"  
__. "No thanks."_ Celeste declined on the behalf of the group.  
_. "There's also the theory of Kirigiri's talent."_ Monokuma said. _"I'll tell you since she can't. Detective. I mean, anybody who has been paying attention could figure it out."  
__. "Oh, woop-de-doo." _Naegi said. "_Big shocker there, the girl who is always inspecting corpses as a natural instinct is the DETECTIVE. Gee, who would have _thought."  
. _"You just have to take the wind out of my sails, Naegi."_  
. Naegi grimaced. The whole ordeal had been broadcast live to who knows how many people throughout the country and maybe throughout the world. They had watched Enoshima lay down her life for him. A model beloved by hoards of fans had sacrificed herself for an average guy with no special talent.  
_. "But I've been blattering on long enough."_  
. _"Ding Dang Dong. We got the corpse here. After a certain amount of time, we'll be holding a class trial."  
__. "Huh?"_ Naegi was shocked..  
_. "C-class trial? Do you mean?" _Maizono said.  
. _"Of course I mean that. I'll leave the next Monokuma file right here. Everyone, give it all you've got, okay!? Things are gonna get pretty crazy from here on out! You're in for a heck of a ride. I really can't wait."  
_. After standing in silence for who knows how long, the seven of them finally left the Data Center.  
_. "I don't understand any of this. What's 'despair entertainment'?"_ Leon asked.  
_. "I thought that finally...finally we could get out of here."  
__. "And plus... what did he s-say about a class trial?" _Genocider said.  
._ "Well, that part's obvious."_ Togami said, regaining composure. "_The class trial is the class trial. What it means is that at this point, we have to figure out who the culprit is. Who killed Kyoko Kirigiri?"  
__. "I thought it was Mukuro."_ Fujisaki said, as they walked back to the garden.  
. Togami shook his head. "_The victim is female. Kirigiri certainly matches up. And if Monokuma is alive, that means his mastermind, Mukuro Ikusaba, isn't dead."  
__. "That's certainly convincing."_ Maizono said.  
_. "How do we know the mastermind is Mukuro Ikusaba?"_ Fujisaki said.  
. _"Oogami. Enoshima. Ishimaru. Oowada. Hagakure. Yamada. Asahina. All have been corpses in front of us."_  
_. "That's insane. Something doesn't feel right."_ Leon said.  
. "Whether you believe it or not doesn't matter. The truth is the truth! If you refuse to believe, it's your responsibility to uncover the truth for yourself." Togami replied as they reached the garden.  
_. "But if there's a class trial, that's mean there's a killer."_ Maizono pointed out.  
_. "Correct, it must be someone participating in our school life. Mukuro Ikusaba fulfills that condition as well."_  
_. "Seriously?" _Genocider asked_._  
_. "I can't explain any further. There is a veritable mountain of issues I need to confirm. So I'm going to begin my search. If any of you value your lives, you'll put everything you have into this."_  
. Naegi checked the file.  
. "**Due to the explosion, the victim's identity is unknown. They were, however, dead before the blast."  
**_. "So that gets rid of my theory that the blast was the murder."  
_. **"The victim had been stabbed a single time with a single knife, which went completely through the body. They had also been struck in the head with an object about as thick as a metal pipe. There is another wound, and several cuts and bruises, but those are several days old."  
**_. "The Monokuma file doesn't even tell us who the victim was." _Naegi said. "_Why? He'd tell us who the victim was...unless..." _His eyes widened. _"it meant something otherwise."_

Author's Note: I wanted to wait until DR3 with its prequel and sequel stories came out (or most of it) in order to solidify this story. But with the remainder of both sides indefinitely delayed, I figured now was the time to release Chapter 33. Dangan Ronpa 1 was written as a one off. (Remember, it didn't get an official translation for NA until a Vita release 4 years after its debut in Japan.) It wasn't until Dangan Ronpa 2 that Spike Chunsoft realized that they discovered that they had had a franchise (and started writing accordingly.) So, besides being frustrated with the DR3 delays how did you spend this hiatus? Feel free to mention it in reviews.

The moment where they discovered the television in this story was something that I had been working towards since the very first chapter. The only question was the pace.(A lot of the early chapters [especially 5 &amp; 6] were things I wrote to either give me fodder for later chapters (via changed character dynamics) or for me to get the hang of writing the characters.)

Yes, I do plan on continuing the story after the end of 'DR1' so to speak. What do I have in mind? You'll see.

EDIT: 10-23-16: So apparently, in the abridged versions by Faulerro, Chiaki is a Sonic fan. That's amazing.


	34. Midget Mercenary or Deceased Detective?

Chapter 34: "Midget Mercenary or Deceased Detective?"  
Welcome back! Ladies and Gentlemen! Readers of all ages. We've got ourselves a show here for the investigative purposes of Trial Number Five. So how was Dangan Ronpa 3? Yeah, I hope to treat those characters better than what we got in canon. So, for something to watch while I write the next chapter, try Faulerro's DR3 abridged videos. You'll find my comments below about my thoughts. I thought I was the only one mixing Sonic jokes with Dangan Ronpa.

. They were back in the garden with the smoldering corpse._  
__. "Maybe if I check the body more thoroughly, I'll be able to tell if it's Kyoko or not."_ Naegi muttered to himself. "_Monokuma's up to something."__  
. "What is it?"_ Maizono said.  
_. "Nothing."  
. "He's not telling me something. What is it?"  
. "Here, Maizono, take this."  
. "What is it?"  
. "It's a wireless reciever. You can't talk into it. I got it from the Monomono machine."  
. "Is it hooked up to anything?"_  
. Naegi didn't answer.  
_. "Yes?_" Maizono was unsure. Ever since he had witnessed the body exploded, Naegi had seemed off. Why?  
. Naegi checked the corpse's right hand.  
_. "These are fake nails. Seems like they'd get in the way of normal activity. Wait? Have I seen these red nails before? Where? Perhaps the mastermind put them on in order to confuse us?" _He made a mental note of the fake nails. The tattoo on the top of the right hand was something else to note. It was a wolf.  
. Only the upper half of the corpse was still burnt to a crisp. It was still wet from the buckets of water, and not from the sprinklers.  
_. "Listen, Naegi."_ Maizono started. _"Do you remember the body prior to explosion?"_  
_. "Yeah, it was wearing the mask. And a big white coat. The knife was stabbed through the jacket. And even though there was blood on the jacket. There wasn't a drop of blood on the ground around it."_  
. Naegi next caught the appearance of certain fragments.  
_. "No way. I'll need to go to the gymnasium later."_  
. The knife, Naegi was too familiar with. It was what the masked figure had attacked him with.  
. _"Too many strange coincidences. But whoever the person was in the mask had the knife. And now they're dead."_  
. Naegi next paid attention to the chicken coop.  
._ "Weren't there five chickens?"_  
_. "Yeah._" Maizono said.  
. Naegi was pensive as he checked the sprinklers and discovered that they turned on every morning at 7:30 AM. It seemed important to note. He decided to check out the tool shed next. Maizono chose not to follow him.  
_. "This room is disorganized and dusty. Nothing seems out of the ordinary here."_  
. He chose to look around.  
_. "Is this... a tarp?"_  
. Upon closer inspection, Naegi discovered that the top was wet. It had specks of mud and grime. That being said, the underside was completely clean.  
. Dismissing the lawnmower, the flower pots, and the fertilizers, Naegi focused on the pickaxe. It had 'Crazy Diamond' written on it just like Oowada's jacket.  
_. "I don't have time to worry about it."_ Naegi noted as he left the shed.  
_. "Good timing, Makoto. I want to talk to you."_ Togami said.  
. "_What do you want to talk about...?"  
. "I'd like to hear your alibi."  
. "Alibi?"  
. "I want to hear where you were after nighttime began last night."  
. "I was asleep. And what does nighttime have to with it?"  
. "The murder took place after nighttime. Because when I went to find everyone, there was no body in the garden. Leon can attest to that. Everybody else gathered afterwards. We even went to the bathroom together. All of us have airtight alibis except for you. And if Kyoko's the victim."  
. "Naegi isn't the culprit."_ Maizono interjected.  
. "_No, it's alright. I can see his reasoning._" Naegi said, as he turned to leave. "_Hey, Togami, could I borrow Kirigiri's key?"_  
._ "I can't let you do that. You're our prime suspect. But if I were to go with you."  
. "Will you go with me?"_ Naegi sighed. He knew that Togami was never going to let Kirigiri's key out of his grasp.  
. _"Maybe later. Or maybe not. I have my own agenda."_  
. Naegi sighed, and left. Togami's response could have been predicted. He would have to investigate the gymnasium on his own, but along the way he felt this sudden compulsion to check everywhere.  
_. "Nothing in here appears to be directly related to incident."_ He remarked of 5-C and of the dojo. As he went down through the fourth floor, there was nothing there. When he got to the third floor, he had the presence of mind to check the Physics Prep Room about the tarp.  
_. "These tarps are blue. The only tarp involved is white. But why? Guess that means this case deals with tarps from somewhere other than the Physics Lab. But where else in this school has tarps?"_  
. As Naegi left the Physics lab to head down to the gymnasium, he noticed something on a column on the second floor.  
._ "Why is there a gaping contusion in one of the columns?"_ It looked to be the size of a wrench. He put it out of his mind.  
_. "Really, Monokuma? 'Black or White' by Michael Jackson. That's one of your school-wide songs this investigation?"  
_. Naegi finally reached the gymnasium. It still amazed him how Monokuma managed to clean up the corpses and store them somewhere. They hadn't been able to see any of the corpses post-trial completion. No funerals or even some way to say goodbye.  
_. "Called it. I figured it wouldn't be here._" The bomb was gone. With that, Naegi headed back to the garden.  
. Fujisaki was doing his own examination of the corpse.  
_. "Alright, I'm done." _Togami told Naegi, and the two headed off to Kirigiri's room.  
. Entering Kirigiri's room, Naegi was surprised. Unlike the rooms of some of his classmates, Kirigiri's was plain.  
_. "That's strange." _Naegi said.  
_. "What is?"  
__. "Most of our rooms tend to have items that make the room distinctly ours."_ Naegi said._ "I know why mine doesn't. And yet Kirigiri contains no additional information, nothing about who she was, or her hobbies, or anything like that which could give an idea about the personality of the owner of the room."  
__. "So you're saying..."  
__. "I'm saying the mastermind might have given Kyoko's amnesia during the game like she claimed."_ Naegi said.  
_. "What?"  
__. "Of course we wouldn't know. You'd never bother to open her room without probably cause."_ Naegi said. _"And I didn't even have her key, so I couldn't open it."  
. "What's that?"_  
_. "On the floor?"_  
_. "It looks like a key to a dojo locker."  
__. "So that's where we go next."  
__. "Hang on, there's one more thing I need to do here."  
__. "And that is?"  
__. "An envelope she gave me after Alter Ego's execution. If something happens to me, she said to open it."  
__. "Well, it's certainly time."  
_. Check under the sheets.  
. Naegi checked the sheets just as the note commanded him to do, and he found Mukuro Ikusaba's student profile. There was an accompanying photo. The freckled girl was listed as 169 centimeters, and weighing about 44 kilograms. Her face seemed familiar to Naegi, but he could not figure out why.  
_. "So that answers what else Kirigiri stole."_ Togami said.  
. Naegi began reading the profile.

. **"Name: Mukuro Ikusaba  
Sex: Female  
. Talent: Ultimate Soldier  
. 'Although small for her age..."  
**

_. "She's a teenager at 169 cm!"_ Naegi commented. _"She's not a midget!"_  
_. "She's taller than you."_ Togami couldn't resist snarking.**  
**

**. "She was a military specialist trained in every weapon type imaginable. She showed an interest in the military from childhood and soon found herself completely absorbed by it. In elementary school, she won a survival game tournament and began writing for military magazines. Just before entering middle school, while she and her family were on vacation in Europe... she disappeared. The story of a young Japanese girl being kidnapped quickly took over Japanese media outlets. An intense international investigation turned up no information, and she was never found. However, she reappeared in Japan three years later alone and completely unannounced. She revealed that she had joined a mercenary group known as Fenrir for those three years. She insisted that she hadn't been kidnapped, that she received battle training of her own voilition. However, she never revealed why she decided to return home when she did."**

_. "That's insane. It's like one's nonfiction and the other's sci-fi." _Naegi thought as he finished reading the profile. Mukuro Ikusaba could have killed any of them at any point. So why was she suddenly a victim? It didn't sit right with him.  
_. "So she's goes ghost. Shows up again."_ Togami said. "_I'm not surprised, I'm sure her talent as the Ultimate Soldier meant she could sneak around the rest of us this whole time without being seen. But I never imagined I would hear the name Fenrir in a place like this."  
__. "Huh? You recognize it?"  
_. _"Naturally. The Fenrir Mercenary Corps is a collection of battle-crazed war mongers. But they do have their uses, and they always get the job done. That's worth remembering. But I have to say I'm intrigued. Every rumor I remember hearing about Fenrir..."  
_. And then Monokuma showed up.  
_. "Slow down there. Our hero is being shoved to the sidelines, and our side character is taking over."  
__. "What are you talking about?"_ Naegi said. "_The way things have gone, this has been an ensemble show."  
__. "Not according to our viewers. No matter how much footage I show of the other people, for some reason, you're the most popular character. I guess it's because everybody likes to be able to connect to the ordinary guy."_ Monokuma said. "_It's not like either of you or even Kyoko did anything wrong. Maybe I'll make Alter Ego from scratch and delete him again."  
__. "Are rule violations really so unforgivable? You're quite adamant about those regulations of yours."  
__. "Of course I am! A proper school life is built on the dedication to organization and order. Which is why even I, as the school headmaster, have to follow the regulations myself."  
__. "You're just saying that because your viewers wouldn't be satisfied."_ Naegi said. "_After all, you can't say you made us feel despair if you literally cheat us the whole way."  
__. "Precisely. I can't have you complaining about how unfair it is, now can I? So here's something interesting. The one writing the rules is actually a participant of the Mutual Killing game. I should probably add this. There have been sixteen students from the start."  
__. "That explains the trial room. Now we're getting somewhere."_ Togami muttered._"But why?"_  
_. "Hm? Did you say something?"  
__. "Why are you telling us this?"  
__. "Oh, well because... like I told you, this killing game is desperately popular! You wouldn't believe the ratings! And since we've got so many viewers now, I wanted to make sure everyone was on the same page. I don't want to wake up a hurricane of complaints and hate mail, ya know?"  
__. "So you say."_ Naegi muttered.  
. _"Okay, that's all you get for now!" _Monokuma replied. "_Oh, actually! I do have some revenge to get, so I have an extra bonus for you!"  
__. "Revenge?"  
__. "I want to get back at that sneaky Miss Kirigiri, so I'm goinna share a little secret with you."  
__. "Seriously?"  
__. "You know how she wears those gloves day in, day out, all the time? Well, don't tell anyone I told you, but... she wears them to cover a bunch of hideous scars that she doesn't want anyone to see_."  
. Naegi's eye widened._ "But the hands on the corpses had no scars!.. meaning!_"  
. "_Are you thinking about Kirigiri again? Forget about her. What matters right now is uncovering Monokuma's trap."  
__. "Huh?"  
__. "Don't you remember what Monokuma **just** told us?"  
_. "_He said there were sixteen students, right? Which means Mukuro was a student here..."  
__. "Obviously, Monokuma was trying to tell us that Mukuro is the one creating the rules to the game. But why would he tell us that? And why now?"  
__. "So that we had a fair investigation."  
__. "Exactly. The mere fact that he said that proves that Mukuro is connected to this case. If your information from Kirigiri is correct, that's why Monokuma officially revealed the existence of the sixteenth student. He needs to make the investigation fair."  
__. "Mukuro is related to the case. Perhaps she's the culprit. It would explain why we have a class trial. . However, after listening to what Monokuma said, I've come to the conclusion that Mukuro is not the culprit. Listen, we thought Mukuro was the mastermind's true identity. But if that's true, Monokuma's behavior makes no sense."  
__. "Are you still going on with your Kyoko-is-the-mastermind theory?" _Naegi asked.  
_. "Why not? It would explain a lot of things like why you encountered that masked assailent. Monokuma means to frame you."_ Togami argued. ._"Giving us information on Mukuro is too risky. Monokuma always leaves himself with an out. The question is whether or not we'll see it."_  
_. "Unless..."_ Naegi said. The silent reciever he had pressed a little while ago, might never reach the intended recipient. But if Mukuro was the victim, then it could arrive.  
. The two guys headed to the dojo.  
. "_Check Locker Five. That's the only one without a key at the moment."_ Togami noted.  
. Inside, they found a bunch of titanium arrows and a bloody piece of tape.  
._ "Well, that settles it. They are definitely connected." _Togami said. _"But how did the key of the locker end up in the victim's room. Wait, that definitely seals it."  
__. "Togami?"  
__. "Come on, we have to do more research on Fenrir."  
_. Naegi found himself in the room of secret documents where the Genocider Shou case file had resided. Togami already had the file._  
__. "Take a look at this."  
__. "You're going to have to translate this."  
__. "How did you make it to high school without knowledge of a foreign language?"  
__. "Just read it, Glasses McDorkFace."  
__. "Fine._ **Fenrir is an elite fighting unit based out of the Middle East. Unlike military contractors, they are a fierce group of soldiers who engage in direct combat. They claim that a single member is equivalent to an entire company of regular soldiers."  
**_. "Company?"_  
_. "A company is composed of somewhere between 80-250 soldiers."_  
_. "That many?"_  
_. "Yeah."_  
.** "Just like Fenrir, the wolf of Raganrok, their mere presence is enough to strike fear into any enemy. They have been involved in countless military battles and operations, most of which are highly classfied. However, some time ago, they completely ceased all activity. At present, their continued existence cannot be confirmed. There are unconfirmed reports that the key members have all been neutralized..."  
**_. "But some time ago...  
__. "I'm willing to bet that it was three years ago."  
__. "You think Mukuro Ikusaba wiped them all out?"  
__. "She wasn't called the Ultimate Soldier for nothing."  
__. "Then who could have killed the Ultmate Soldier?"  
__. "I can't think of any of us still alive who could have killed her in direct confrontation. But Oogami, the martial artist probably could have if she were still alive."  
__. "So you're saying that someone got the jump on her."  
__. "Most likely."  
__. "Rumors indicate they were killed to keep them from revealing the many state secrets they'd acquired. Some, however, believe there was mounting internal tension within the group, and they simply imploded."  
__. "This all sounds like some alternate reality."  
__. "Of course you would say that. Their battlefields aren't much different from our lives here. An unpredictable, unimaginable world... That's what makes it all so exciting. So did something jump out at you?"  
__. "Yeah, their mark."  
__. "Right in one. To show their membership, each member would get a tattoo somewhere on their body."  
__. "Easy Identification, I suppose?"  
__. "Yeah. Preferably somewhere that can be easily revealed."  
__. "Like say... a forearm."  
__. "Or a hand."  
__. "Figures."  
__. "But what I want to know is why...Fenrir is showing up now."  
__. "What do you mean?"  
__. "If it follows the theme of the other motives, what does a mercenary group have to do with us being trapped here?"  
__. "Motives?"  
__. "Yeah."  
__. "Wait a minute, something's not right. Monokuma didn't provide a motive for this murder."  
__. "Yeah, so. The belief that Mukuro Ikusaba was the mastermind, and that's the motive, if the mastermind dies, the game is over."  
__. "I suppose so. Except the mastermind didn't die."  
__. "Which means Mukuro Ikusaba isn't the mastermind."  
__. "He didn't even provide the identity of the corpse."  
__. "Well, it's not like we couldn't figure it out."  
_. DING DONG. BING BONG.  
_. "Time is utterly silent, and yet it constantly assaults us – organisms, the earth, natural phenomena." Monokuma made his announcement that the class trial was about to get underway.  
__. "It damages us little by little, until the end. You should really think about that."  
_. The two left the archive. It was time for trial number five.  
_. "Togami, do you think we're right in assuming that Mukuro Ikusaba is the victim."  
__. "Of course we are. The corpse has the mark of Fenrir."  
__. "And fake nails."  
__. "What?"  
__. "I don't think fake nails mix with mercenary groups."  
__. "Are you saying that Ikusaba could still be alive? And that corpse is actually Kirigiri's."  
__. "Fake nails don't add up for Kirigiri either. I'm saying that elements about the corpse don't add up."  
__. "Then who do fake nails add up for? Those two are the only possiblities. Unless you're saying Kirigiri or Mukuro disguised themself as another living female classmate."  
__. "Celeste? Maizono? Genocider? Really? None of them wear fake nails either."  
__. "Stop focusing on the fake nails."  
_headed down to the elevator.  
. _"Whoa, Byakuya and Naegi showed up together."_ Leon commented.  
. _"Where the heck have you two been?"_ Maizono said. _"You disappeared without a word!"  
__. "Don't say you were being the main characters. Don't say you were being the main characters."_ Fujisaki said.  
_. "We were investigating. How could you not figure this out?_" Togami said, arrogantly.  
. Somewhat uncharacteristically, Celeste was standing quietly to the side.  
. Five full minutes later, Monokuma still hadn't shown up. Naegi wondered if he was planning on making a super-dramatic entrance.  
_. "I mean, we know this is being broadcast live._" Naegi thought. What was this feeling building up inside him? Anticipation? But looking back on it, Monokuma broadcasting this game make certain things fall into line. But it meant that there was a large audience who had saw Enoshima lay down her life for him. They had seen Yamada murder Hagakure and Hagakure murder Asahina. They knew the results. Or did they? Was the audience shown the murders themselves or just the corpses? Did they have to take Monokuma's word that the trial's result was correct?  
. _"Is he showing some promo?"_ Leon said. "_I bet he is. Like everybody... drop your things and pull this game up on your television. I don't appreciate this School Life of Mutual Killing as he so wonderfully described it being made out like it's some sporting event."  
__. "Why not? Show or not. How is trial five different than any of the previous four that have come before it?"_" Togami asked. _"And the Mayans used to sacrifice the winners of their athletic competitors to the Gods."  
__. "You are just full of useless knowledge, aren't you Togami?"_ Leon replied.  
_. "And yet, I'm sure the viewers would be intrigued._" Togami said.  
_. "Oh, so now you've got an air for theatrics?"_ Celeste said. "_And here I thought you couldn't get any more arrogant."  
__. "You're one to talk."_ Leon said. "_With your false persona, and all that."  
__. "Whoa, whoa. Whoa."_ Naegi said. "_I just thought of something. How the hell did you pull that off?"  
__. "Excuse me?"  
__. "You didn't have to pay taxes on your gambling winnings?"_ Naegi said, thinking of a distraction to ease everybody's mind.  
_. "Yeah, now that think I about it, even Jeremy had to create papers for Aeilta in Code Lyoko."_ Fujisaki said._"Great aversion of the undead tax exemption trope."  
__. "Huh. That's what you're worried about, right now." _Maizono said in disbelief. "_Her taxes._" Naegi could be strange sometimes.  
._ "I mean, yeah. I can't believe I didn't think of this before, considering my father is a tax lawyer."  
__. "Your father is a lawyer?"  
__. "Not like the dramatic lawyers you see on television. Just like a tax lawyer that does people's taxes."  
__. "You're asking how I pay taxes?"_ Celeste asked.  
_. "Yes."  
__. "I filed them under Takao Yaushiro. How do you think?"  
__. "So how did nobody know your real identity?"  
__. "Excuse me?"  
__. "You're trying to tell me that none of the shady people you beat tried to find your real identity?"  
__. "Honestly, I won't be surprised if they were stupid enough to look under Celeste Ludenberg."  
__. "These elite gamblers you beat...were too stupid to think that Celeste Ludenberg might be a_ _pseudonym. Well, then, how did you attend high school before Hope's Peak?"  
__"Are you really going to make me spell this out? I went to normal high school as Takeo Yaushiro, which is a really common name. Celeste Ludenberg is a permanently adopted alter ego. Hair drills, the outfits. It was all a double-edged ploy. If at any point, the gambling world got too dangerous for me, I could disappear, become Takeo Yaushiro again, and create a new gambling persona, and start from scratch."  
__. "So what if you lost your memory in amnesia and couldn't remember that you were Takao Yaushiro, and then the gambling world became too dangerous, and then you had to file taxes_." Naegi said, deliberately pushing Celeste's buttons.  
_. "I have never lost my memory!_" Celeste said, losing patience. _"And by the way, who files taxes after having amnesia!"  
__. "**Ah, there we go. Celeste is better at thinking when she's pissed off. After Kirigiri, Celeste is our best female mind. And with Kirigiri dead, we're going to need her at her most intelligent."**_ Naegi thought to himself.  
._ "While we're on the subject,..."_ Leon started. _"What about your parents?"_  
_. "My parents?"_ Celeste asked.  
_. "Yeah._" Maizono said. _"Did your parents know about this?"_  
_. "My parents don't give two shits about me. Ever since they divorced when I was eight years old, all they cared about was making sure the other one didn't have custody of me. Neither cared where I was or what I did, just so long as I wasn't at the other's residence, they didn't really give a rat's ass about me."_  
_. "What about your motive video?"_  
_. "Excuse me?"_  
_. "You didn't see your parents or your friends in that motive video?"_  
_. "I saw my cat, Grand Bois Cheri Ludenberg. And that tells you all you need to know what I thought about other people_." Celeste sighed, as the conversation ended on a sour note.  
_. "What's going on?" _Genocider said._ "Why hasn't he shown up?"  
__. "Perhaps he chickened out." _Celeste suggested.  
_. "Not likely." _Monokuma said. _"As a matter of fact, you guys are making me... wait!"  
__. "Are we, now?"_ Celeste replied.  
_. "But wait, we're all here." _Leon said.  
_. "So whose missing?" _Genocider said.  
_. "Me."  
__. "KIRIGIRI."  
__. "Yes. Here we are." _Kirigiri said. _"Trial five."  
__. "That's not necessarily a good thing for us." _Togami said.  
_. "What do you mean?" _Genocider said.  
_. "We were assuming that Kirigiri was the victim. Now Mukuro Ikusaba is most definitely the victim."  
__. "I suppose we'll figure it out at the trial." _Celeste said._  
_. Naegi had to ask Kirigiri before the trial started.  
_. "Where have you been this whole time?"  
__. "I was on the second floor of the dormitory rooms."  
__. "So that's what that key unlocks."  
__. "Yeah, it's how I was able to avoid Monokuma entirely. Of course, the flip side is that I also missed his announcement."  
__. "Then when did you find out?"  
__. "When I realized you had buzzed me on the silent receiver. I thought something was up. I checked your room and everything. But I took some time to look at the crime scene first. I can't go a trial completely uninformed, can I? We can go over the details later, right now, I just want to focus on surviving our current situation."  
__. _Naegi thought back to the masked figure, and his idea that Kirigiri had been the masked figure. It seemed like there was something Kirigiri had been the masked figure, why was Mukuro Ikusaba the corpse?  
. There was no doubt in his mind that the masked figure that he had seen attacked him was the mastermind.  
_. "No, Ikusaba must have been the masked figure."_ Naegi thought. "_But she can't be the mastermind, there's got the way around this. Unless, Ikusaba was a decoy."  
_. And with that, Kirigiri and Naegi walked into the elevator. As soon as they reached the trial room, the change in decor was immediately noticed.  
. "_You are seriously not a fashion designer, Monokuma."_ Celeste said.  
_. "This color scheme reminds me of the vomit paletted Special Stage from Sonic 3 &amp; Knuckles."_ Fujisaki noted dryly.  
_. "Glad you like it!"_ Monokuma said, pretending to miss the disparaging comments. "_I feel like it's been ages since we got together like this. Let's get on with the show."_

AUTHOR'S NOTE: So in the meantime, I've made a really, long Dangan Ronpa crack video, and plan on releasing it soon. Please check it out. Yeah, Kirigiri's corpse hasn't shown up... yet. And the more I think about it, the more blanks I realize some of the DR1 cast have in their backstories. But in all seriousness, Trial 5 is turning out to be a difficult trial to write. However, I had to reach it eventually. Goodness knows, endless chapters of "And then Fujisaki checked something on the computer. And then Naegi pointed out something that DR1 canon regular Naegi would have never looked twice at. And then Togami compared such and such to a chess opening." would get old and boring. Yeah, but the logistics of Celeste's fake identity are never explained in Dangan Ronpa.

You know, I was originally okay with killing Asahina precisely BECAUSE she survived in canon, and then DR3 showed up, and made me regret that decision. And then Kodaka made me unregret that decision at the beginning of the next episode.

11/12/16:

CRACK VIDEO HAS BEEN RELEASED Available on my AnotherStatsGuy Youtube channel. JOKES ARE VARIED. Please watch and leave a review.


	35. Athletic Algorithm

Chapter 35

_"Well, then, let's discuss the specifics of the victim." _Togami said, getting right down to business_. "First, we need to clarify who exactly the unidentified victim is."  
. "It's Ikusaba." _Naegi said. _"The tattoo is the mark of Fenrir."  
. "Correct. I just wanted to lay that card out on the table." _Togami said._ "Based off what we know, the corpse appears to be the Mukuro Ikusaba."  
. "Yeah, so what." _Celeste said_. "Our mysterious sixteenth student shows up and dies."  
__. "That seems unusual." _Genocider said._ "There's no way you have such a mysterious and obviously important character only show-up postmortem. Especially considering Fenrir is the Wolf of Ragnarok. Usually, when there's a scene where an important character dies, it has more detail, am I right?"  
__. "I had expected someone to claim Kyoko Kirgiri was the latest evolution in ghost technology." _Monokuma cried. _"Oh, that would be hilarious!"  
__. "That would be stupid." _Fujisaki said. _"Who do you think we are?"  
__. "But it means we were wrong in thinking that Mukuro was the mastermind at all." _Togami said.  
_. "But, I mean... being the Ultimate Soldier seems like a pretty mastermind-y title to me. She knows how to kill people, with all the resources the mastermind has, she could easily set this up." _Maizono interjected.  
_. "But the fact that she has ended up dead means she was the same as us- just another participant." _Togami said.  
_. "So who is the mastermind?" _Leon asked.  
_. "Is it not the headmaster?" _Genocider said.  
_. "No." _Kirigiri answered.  
_. "Is it possible for someone to have more than one talent?" _Naegi said, pondering._  
__. "Are you saying that Mukuro could be both something like Ultimate Despair and Ultimate Mercenary?" _Kirigiri said.  
_. "Okay. Okay! We're in the middle of a trial right now! Figuring out who killed Mukuro is first and foremost."  
__. " So you confirm that it is Mukuro? Strange. After you went out of your way to conceal the identity of this trial's victim." _Celeste couldn't help but notice Monokuma words._  
__. "Fine. Uncovering the identity of the mastermind will have to wait. I stake my family name on it." _Togami said, defiantly.  
_. "Logic Errors. Logic Errors abound." _Fujisaki said.  
_. "So we move on." _Togami said.  
_. "Is it possible that the Kirigiri we're dealing with right now is an impostor?" _Genocider said.  
_. "What?" _Leon said.  
_. "That would be interesting."_ Celeste said.  
. _"What are you talking about?"_ Kirigiri said.  
_. "Is there an Ultimate Impostor?_" Togami asked. "_That would neatly solve most of these conundrums."  
__. "No. The Ultimate Impostor is not one of you guys."_ Monokuma said in frustration.  
_. "We'll have to take his word for it."_ Naegi said.  
_. "Okay, next question."_ Fujisaki said. _"What is Fenrir?"  
__. "The mark of Fenrir."_ Genocider said. "_ In Norse mythology, it is the wolf of Raganarok, the end of the world. The opponent of Odin. Son of Loki. Also the name of a prominent werewolf in Harry Potter."  
__. "I mean, in this context."_ Fujisaki clarified.  
_. "Fenrir is an elite mercenary group. Supposedly, they've gone inactive." _Togami said. _"According to Ikusaba's profile, she joined them after bailing on a family trip to Europe."  
__. "That family trip._" Naegi said. "_There has to be something to that."  
__. "It's a loose thread._" Kirigiri said. _"It has nothing to do with her murder."  
__. "She's right."_ Togami said. "_Ikusaba appears to have been killed by the mastermind."  
__. "What?" _Leon said.  
_. "You're going to jump to a sweeping conclusion like that._" Fujisaki said.  
_. "Of course, I think it's obvious_." Togami said. "_We already knew that the mastermind had one mole: Sakura Oogami. It's possible he had another."  
__. "But what about that masked figure_?" Naegi said.  
_. "A ploy to fool all of us, especially you. It's entirely possible that this mastermind had Sakura Oogami kill Mukuro Ikusaba, and then put the corpse on ice to use at this point."_ Togami said. "_Unless Kirigiri has something else to say about the corpse. I assume that's why you were late, checking the corpse, Mrs. Detective."  
__. "Wait a minute, you just said the mastermind killed Ikusaba._" Leon said.  
_. "I never said that the mastermind killed her directly. Oogami was a pawn."  
__. "Hold on, if Oogami had killed Mukuro, why wouldn't there be a class trial for it?" _Naegi said.  
._ "Because it wouldn't have the same impact."_ Togami said. "_He wanted one of the fifteen at the gate to be the victim." _Togami said. "_If Monokuma dusts off sixteenth student to be the victim, then the chances that it would spur us to murder each other wouldn't be as great as watching one student brutally murder another right in front of us."  
__. "No, she didn't kill anyone else._" Naegi said. "_I was the first one she attacked."  
__. "How do you know?"_ Togami said.  
_. "Because she said she had to kill someone. If she had killed Mukuro Ikusaba before then, she wouldn't have had to kill me."_ Naegi said. "_Remember she chose me at the mastermind's suggestion. Who's the easier target? The Ultimate Soldier or the scrawny guy."  
_. _"I see your point." _Togami said. "_So we can get rid of that idea."  
__. "So we're back to square one."_ Genocider said.  
. "_Let's write an algorithm._" Fujisaki said, in frustration. _"That should help us figure this out."  
__. "An algorithm?" _Celeste asked as Fujisaki produced a pen and some paper.  
. _"An algorithm is a basic component of computer program. Programmers and mathematicians alike use this in order to create a sequence of events."  
__. "So you propose the creation of an algorithm in order to figure out Ikusaba's murder."  
__. "Yes."  
__. "Alright, I'm game."_ Leon said. "_Might as well. It's not like the debating-in-circles methods is going to work this time."  
__. "Let's start with the appearance. Assuming that the masked figure was always Mukuro."_ Fujisaki said.  
_. "Well, who else could be?"_ Leon said.  
. Kirigiri was silent.  
._ "It's time for me to admit something."_ Fujisaki said. _"Before Alter Ego was destroyed, he managed to find a group of files. Aside from discovering that the headmaster's name is Jin Kirigiri, Alter Ego discovered sixteen scanned student profiles." _Fujisaki said.  
. "_Oh yeah, I remmeber you bringing that up to me."_ Maizono said. _"It was after Naegi got knocked out."  
__. "You mean, like this one."_ Naegi produced the page of Ikusaba's file for all to see.  
._ "Yeah."  
__. "So that means Ikusaba really is the Ultimate Soldier."_ Leon said. _"There's no mention of Ultimate Despair or any other potential title."  
__. "So I see you went into my room."_ Kirigiri couldn't help but notice. _"But I thought Togami had the key."  
__. "I accompanied him." _Togami clarified.  
_. "Anyway, that's when I found the file on Ikusaba. It was extra-encrypted. Alter Ego was working on it when he got smashed to bits."_ Fujisaki said. _"I don't know what was in that file, but it seems Ikusaba was slated to join us. I had originally hoped that she had just been fortunate to miss out on this game, but between her profile as the Ultimate Soldier, and her status as the victim of this trial, it seems that hope was mistaken."  
__. "Aww, that's so nice." _Monokuma cooed_. "I can't believe it. Someone hoped for the best for the Ultimate Soldier. Usually, people don't touch those students with a ten meter pole."  
_. _"That would have been interesting."_ Genocider said.  
. "_If by interesting you mean having the Ultimate Soldier and the Ultimate Serial Killer in a Mutual-Killing game, then that would have just been fan-fucking-tastic."_ Leon snarked.  
. Fujisaki listed 'Discovery of Mukuro's existence' as the first entry on the piece of paper.  
. The next task was identifing when the masked figure first showed up.  
_. "Did anybody see her before her corpse showed up?" _Fujisaki asked.  
_. "I did_." Naegi admitted.  
. Fujisaki began pencil it in that Naegi had seen Mukuro Ikusaba first.  
. _"So what happened in that encounter?"_ Togami said.  
._ "Not important right now. Save it for the Naegi Encounter module."_ Fujisaki said. "_We'll come back to it later if we need to expand it."  
__. "Module?"_ Leon said.  
. "_Yeah, sort of subroutine. It's a part of programming."_ Fujisaki said. _"Right now, it doesn't matter what happened in Naegi's first encounter, only that it happened. And that was how long ago?"  
__. "It was the day after Alter Ego's execution. I'd say about 36 hours."_ Naegi said.  
_. "And what happened?"  
__. "Hang on..." _Leon interrupted. "_Are you playing 'The Power of Love' by Huey Lewis &amp; News."  
__. "From the first Back to the Future film?"_ Maizono interjected, incredulously. _"What an odd backdrop."_  
_. "Speaking of Huey Lewis, I always forget he didn't write Ghostbusters."_ Leon commented.  
_. "I hope you all follow up a white traditional Sicilian position with Bishop F-4."_ Togami said in exasperation.  
_. "What?"_ Naegi said, confused.  
._ "You know, you've got a Knight on D-4, by putting a Bishop on F-4, Black will fork the two pieces with a pair of diagonal attacks from a pawn to e-5."_ Togami said as though it was the most obvious piece of knowledge in the world.  
_. "Isn't it marvelous that my White Knight knows chess so well?"_ Genocider couldn't but comment in appreciation.  
. _"Won't stop him from getting played."_ Monokuma muttered to himself.  
_. "Stop talking in chess terms, Togami._" Kirigiri said, exasperatedly. "_It's not like we're going to understand what you meant anyway."  
__. "As much I like the trope 'Notable Nonsequitur' can we get back on topic?"_ Fujisaki said.  
_. "Is that why you starting rambling about Sonic 3 &amp; Knuckles all those days ago?"_ Monokuma said. _"God I hated that, editing it for the broadcast was a pain. Do I leave it in? Do I cut it out for time? Would it get the viewers more invested in Fujisaki? Would the Sonic fanbase riot towards the school and tear down our walls to save one of their own? And you guys have done a great job of never making sure I never knew what was going to be important for the viewers to have context about for what was going on in these class trials! What do these students know? To my surprise, they're learning calculus."  
__. "Well, it's like Hagakure said all those days ago about this game._ '__Because you've chosen the worst possible candidates for it, a bunch of teenagers.____"__ " Fujisaki couldn't resist pointing out.  
_. "You seem to be place a high priority on this game's presentation."_ Togami said.  
_. "Of course, I do. I need you guys to fall into despair fair and square. I've said it before and I'll say it again."_ Monokuma replied. "_Oh, and by the way, what was with all the extraneous information during the class trials? Speculating about Code Geass AU-s, and shit like that.I kept expecting Yamada to bring up how watching Neon Genesis Evangelion at the age of four made him into an otaku at a young age. Not even on topic, but because he was so, I don't know, socially tone-deaf! "  
_. _"Next thing you know, Chekov's Boomerang is going to come play here."_ Naegi said.  
. "_And the conversational troping. The fucking conversation troping!You got punched in the face! Mondo Oowada almost knocked you out! And your first instinct is to reference a goddamn entertainment website."_ Monokuma said, waving his pawn. _"Like hell that makes any sense."  
__. "Someone's really impatient."_ Celeste said.  
._ "I guess you could he's approaching his limit!"_ Fujisaki said.  
._ "What was that?"_ Leon said.  
_. "Was that a calculus pun?"_ Kirigiri said in disbelief. _"Now I've heard everything."  
__. "Make up your minds! Are you trying to parody this concept or play it straight?_" Monokuma said, burying his face in his paws.  
_. "Yeah, but why?"_ Naegi thought. _"Does he think he has us? That this is a murder we can not solve. Listen up, you fucker, we solved Asahina's murder even though the culprit was already dead! There's no way we won't be able to solve this one too."  
_. _"Maybe Monokuma really is being operated by the Hope's Peak Headmaster?"_ Genocider suggested once again.  
_. "No, the headmaster doesn't have anything to do with this." _ Just like before, Kirigiri was firm about that fact.  
_. "But your information on Mukuro Ikusaba was incorrect, which throws that into question, too."_ Togami said.  
_. "How?"_ Naegi said.  
_. "Excuse me."_ Togami said.  
_. "Those two facts are completely unrelated. It's not like they're linked in any way..."_ Naegi trailed off.  
_. "Anyway, my information was not incorrect."_ Kirigiri said.  
_. "But nobody here has more than one talent."_ Genocider said. _"It's not like Mukuro can be two things at once."  
__. "Really?_" Fujisaki argued, seeing that his attempt to modulize the sequence of events leading to Mukuro's murder was getting steam-rolled into futility.  
_. "Yeah. The two statements about the headmaster and Mukuro Ikusaba have not been proven to be linked in any way." _Celeste said.  
_. "Sure, liar girl."_ Togami said, dismissively.  
._ "You know what, I'm going to make this very clear." Monokuma said. "A Class trial is held when a murder between students in the academy. Make sure you pound that point into your heads."  
__. "In other words, both the victim and the culprit are students."_ Togami replied.  
._ "So one of us eight is the culprit." _Genocider said.  
_. "Not necessarily."_ Celeste pointed out. _"Remember, Trial 4's culprit and Trial 3's victim were one and the same: Yaushiro Hagakure."  
__. "And before you guys start introducing the idea of a seventeenth student, there is no such possibility. There are a total of sixteen high school students participating."  
__. "But are those sixteen high school students the only ones in here?"_ Genocider said, waving her scissors about.  
. Monokuma was silent.  
_. "I think we've hit something here."_ Leon said.  
_. "We'll have to come up with it later."_ Kirigiri said.  
_. "In any case, we've already narrowed down the list of suspects."_ Togami said.  
_. "That's right."_ Naegi said. "_Kirigiri and I are the suspect list."  
__. "No way, then it has to be Kirigiri."_ Maizono said.  
_. "Let me clear things up for everybody's sake."_ Togami said. "_Last night, just after the nighttime announcement, I went to the garden. I can attest to the fact that there was no corpse. This means that the murder occurred at some point after I was in the garden."  
__. "Then couldn't it have been you?"_ Maizono pointed out.  
_. "No way, I was there._" Genocider said.  
. "_Never thought having a stalker would be useful for creating an alibi."_ Leon bemusedly pointed out.  
_. "Anyway..."_ Togami continued. _"After that, the rest of us were basically in the gymnasium until morning."  
__. "In the gymnasium?_" Kirigiri said, surprised.  
_. "We were disassembling Monokuma. As a precaution, we avoided individual activity during that time, we even went to the restroom in multiples."  
__. "In other words, everybody else has perfect alibis._" Naegi said.  
._ "That's why you said you'd narrowed the suspect list."_ Kirigiri said.  
. _"Precisely."  
__. "Hang on, can I add something about my alibi."_ Naegi clarified.  
._ "Do you have any objections?"_ Togami said.  
._ "Before I make the objections, I'd like to try and narrow down the time frame of the murder."_ Naegi pointed out.  
. _"If you can't provide an alibi for the whole time, you can at least provide an alibi for part of the time."_ Fujisaki said. "_Smart."  
__. "My White Knight checked the garden at about 10 PM."_ Genocider helpfully disclosed.  
. "_So right now, the time frame is from 10 PM to 9 AM."_ Celeste said.  
_. "Well, I remember that I met up with everybody around 7:30 AM." _Naegi said.  
. _"Naegi's alibi is lacking from 10 PM to 7:30 AM."_ Fujisaki said.  
_. "It's time I prove that the murder couldn't have taken place when I didn't have an alibi._" Naegi said.  
._ "How?"_ Kirigiri said.  
._ "The sprinkler system at 7 :30 AM." _Naegi said_. "So we can narrow down the time frame of murder from after 7:30 AM. And yet the corpse showed no signs of being wet due to the sprinklers."  
__. "Looks like we've gotten it to Kirigiri."_ Togami said.  
_. "If I am executed here, for this, then the truth about this academy will never come to light."_ Kirigiri pleaded. "_I will not let that happen."  
__. "There's no way I could be."_ Kirigiri said. _"This is obviously a set-up by the mastermind."  
__. "So everything got too tough for you, and now you're trying to blame me." _Monokuma chortled. _"Too bad."  
__. "Hold up, you have a motive._" Togami said. "_A motive to kill Mukuro Ikusaba. You believed her to be the mastermind. And yet you miscalcuated."  
__. "She's got motive and no alibi. At this point, it's pretty much set in stone. Kirigiri's the culprit."_ Leon said.  
. _"If she's the culprit, why is she remaining cool as ice?"_ Fujisaki said.  
. _"Naegi's alibi is inadequate." _Kirigiri said.  
_. "How?"_ Maizono asked.  
. _"Fine. Just because the corpse wasn't wet from the sprinklers doesn't necessarily mean she was killed after 7:30 AM."  
_. Naegi was stunned.  
_. "Oh-ho."_ Monokuma said_. "Things are starting to heat up."  
__. "There's a way to prevent the body from getting wet when the sprinklers go off."  
__. "You have my attention." _Togami said, interested.  
. "_You could cover it with the blue tarps from the garden."_ Naegi said.  
. "_There were other tarps?"_ Celeste said.  
. "_Yeah, the white tarps in the Physics Lab Prep room. But I don't think those are important here."  
_. Monokuma was silent.  
_. "So you noticed._" Kirigiri said. _"But yes, if the culprit had covered the corpse with that sheet, then it could have been in the garden. And that's exactly what was done."  
__. "Damn."_ Naegi said. "_She's backing me into a corner. And yet, I didn't do it."  
__. "Naegi would have had time to do it."_ Togami said.  
_. "The way the sheet is soiled adds to that."_ Kirigiri said. _"Only one side is dirty."  
__. "Seriously?" Leon said.  
__. "The culprit covered the corpse with the vinyl sheet so it wouldn't get wet."  
__. "Hold it. That means it came into contact with the corpse._" Naegi said. _"But the other side of the sheet wasn't even a little bit dirty."  
__. "Because the sprinklers didn't get it wet!"_ Leon argued. "_That side was facing the corpse. __Of course, it stayed clean."  
__. "What about the blood?"_ Naegi asked. _"It doesn't make sense for only one side of the sheet to be clean. Remember... before the explosion, the blood on the body hadn't dried yet. Togami even pointed that out."  
__. "Maybe the culprit washed it?"_ Leon said.  
_. "Then they would have washed both sides. Only washing one side doesn't hide anything."_ Togami said.  
_. "Indeed..."_ Celeste agreed. **"_Wait a minute, why wouldn't the culprit have moved the tarp somewhere nobody could have found it. Kirigiri wouldn't have been pressed for time."_** she thought. _**"The one who benefits from the fake alibi is Naegi."**  
__. "Ah well, you have a point."_ Leon admitted.  
. _"And what if the blood on the corpse is a red herring planted by the culprit?"_ Kirigiri argued.  
. _"In other words, after riding out the sprinklers by using the vinyl sheet, couldn't the culprit have killed a chicken and used its blood over the body?" _Kirigiri continued.  
_. "Wait, what if they had used transfusion bags in the infirmary?" _Genocider said.  
_. "Transfusion bags?"  
__. "I doubt it. If they had been seen by anybody else, it would be a dead giveaway."_ Kirigiri continued.  
._ "Even so, that doesn't explain everything. You're saying that the culprit waited out the sprinklers and then poured the chicken blood over the corpse?"  
__. "Yes." _Kirigiri said.  
_. "Had they done that, some of the blood should have spilled onto the ground around the body." Togami pointed out.  
__. "Yes, it is strange."_ Kirigiri admitted.  
_. "Perhaps the fake blood was prepped in advance."  
__. "What?"_ Naegi said.  
_. "Was the body actually wearing the lab coat?" K_irigiri asked.  
._ "No, her arms weren't going through the sleeves. The lab coat had just been placed over the body."_ Maizono remembered.  
_. "Bingo. That means that the murder occurred before the sprinklers went off. If it had occurred afterward, there would be no need to go to such lengths."  
_. _"That method does make it possible for the murder to have occurred before 7:30 AM."_ Maizono admitted. _"But still, Naegi murdering someone?"  
__. "We all have the motive. And in Naegi's case, he saw Mukuro before anybody else. It's not that much of a stretch to think that that masked figure is the mastermind."_ Fujisaki pointed out. "_However, something seems fishy here."  
__. "But they would have had to enter the garden after 7:30 AM."  
__. "I have a test. It's time we exit the trial room."_ Celeste said. _"Let's see how fast both Naegi and Kirigiri can run. Does anyone have some stop watchs?"  
__. "I have a stopwatch from the Mono Machine."_ Fujisaki said. "_But why?"  
__. "I want to see how much time it would take for either Naegi and Kirigiri to get from the first floor to the garden on the fifth."_ Celeste said.  
_. "Well, that's one way to do it."_ Togami said. _"That's inventive. We've certainly been allowed out of the trial room for reasons before. I think it's time we use that again."  
__. "Wait._" Monokuma had dozed off slightly. "_Why are all of you getting into the elevator?"  
__. "We're going to test something._" Togami smirked.  
_. "Hey wait." _Monokuma said, waving his paws.  
_. "See you on the first floor."_ Togami said, as the doors closed.  
. In the few minutes, the red doors opened and they were on the first floor.  
_. "It's time._" Celeste's gamble would have to pay off as accurate. _"It's a shame we don't have Asahina here. She could keep pace with both of you during these jogs and walkings."  
__. "What are you saying?"_ Kirigiri said.  
_. "We'll have to station everybody somewhere along the route." _Celeste said as everybody climbed the first set of stairs. They turned the corner, and climbed up the second set of stairs for the third floor. _"I'll need someone here. Say, Maizono, how in shape are you?"  
__. "Excuse me?_" Maizono asked, indiginantly.  
_. "I'm going to need you to match their pace for these races in order to make sure both move at the proper pace. It would be bad if they added time._" Celeste said, quickly explaining.  
._ "Yeah, I can keep pace with them."  
__. "Good."  
_. After some silence, they were finally out of the garden.  
_. "Togami, I'll need Genocider to stand here."  
__. "Genocider._"  
_. "Yes, sir!"  
_. The remaining seven people then went down a floor.  
. _"All right, Fujisaki. I want you to stand approximately here."_ Celeste said, standing at the outside corner of the stashed away room where Monokuma was operated. _"I want you to be able to see the staircases when they come up from the third floor and then the other staircase when they go to the fifth floor."  
__. "Leon, since the third floor winds around, I'll need you to take that floor."  
__. "Seriously?"_ Leon complained.  
_. "Yes, let's make good use of your baseball talent."_ Celeste said, impatiently.  
. _"What does that mean?"_ Togami said.  
._ "It means that he's always sprinting around the bases."_ Celeste pointed out. _"I mean, anybody has ever watched baseball can tell you that the running involves turning."  
__. "I suppose... that's fair."  
_. That left five people going down to the second floor.  
_. "Togami, stand in this corner."  
_._ "I get it, from this vantage point, I can watch both staircases."  
_. That left Maizono, Celeste, Kirigiri and Naegi for the first floor.  
_. "Oooo, Naegi..." _Monokuma had shown up. _"Another harem situation?"  
__. "Shut the fuck up, you fuzzball."_ Naegi said angrily.  
_. "See! There's the anger to murder." _Monokuma said.  
_. "We're going to have to do it multiple times. In order to make sure that the results are accurate."_ Celeste asked.  
. _"Why?_"Monokuma said.  
_. "I get it. There are many different possibilities. Either could have run in their footwear, their socks, or their bare feet._" Maizono said.  
. _"Kirigiri, Maizono, Naegi. Do any of you need anything before we start?"_ Celeste asked. 

AUTHOR'S NOTE: The fun thing about having a different sequence of deaths is that you can easily get creative with what happens. There's been only two straight murders in this story. (Fukawa and Yamada) Besides, it gets more intriguing that way. Leaving the trial room happened once in the canon, but in this story, I can take all sorts of scenarios and run with them. I got Steins;Gate 0 on November 29th, 2016. So I've been playing that.


	36. Upa, Upa, and Away

PUBLISHED: January 17th, 2017

Chapter 36: Yeah, I know it's been a while since I last updated. I've been busy. Oh, the joys of Cl-Opens. For my readers who haven't played V3 yet, don't worry, I'm in the same boat. I hope this can entertain my readers, old and new, as V3 crosses the Pacific Ocean.

. _"This is strange._" Monokuma said, as he prepared to observe the foot race between Makoto Naegi and Kyoko Kirgiri with Sayaka Maizono and Celeste timing them. Naegi and Kirigiri were racing to see if it was possible for someone to make it from the first floor to the fifth floor in the allotted time required to pull off the murder. Some elements about the athletic ability of both of them were apparent, as early as the first set of races. The first set of races was with regular clothes on, including shoes.  
. While Naegi only needed three minutes to reach the garden from the gymnasium, as opposed to Kirigiri's three minutes and forty-five seconds, Kirigiri actually got off to the faster start, but eventually the problems of running in heels caught up to her.  
. _"So you aren't a humanoid Blaze the Cat after all."_ Naegi joked.  
_. "Shut up."_ Kirigiri said, panting.  
_. "What's this about Blaze the Cat?"_ Monokuma asked.  
_. "Come on, you don't see it?_" Naegi asked._ "Purple outfits. A purple color scheme. The standoffish nature."_  
_. "No, no, I do see. It's just 'Why'?"_ Monokuma was generally puzzled.  
_. "The stress of this place must be getting to you._" Kirigiri said.  
._"Forget it, Monokuma, sometimes his mind doesn't work the same way as the rest of you."_ Maizono added.  
._ "I have to ask, Celeste. Why are you running? I get, Maizono because of her athletic nature, but you?"_ Monokuma asked.  
. _"I was the one who suggested the idea. I should be the one who runs it. Literally."_ Celeste replied as though it was the most obvious answer in the world.  
_. "Well, keep doing it."_ Monokuma replied. "_Viewership is skyrocketing. According to polls among the viewers, opinions upon who the guilty party is are just about split down the middle."_  
._ "Seriously? You're running viewing polls?"_ Maizono asked as Kirigiri and Naegi each collected their breath.  
_. "Of course, people want to see if their theories are right." _Monokuma said. "_Though an interesting tidbit, I suppose among the demographic. Females are almost universally voting for Naegi as innocent, and males are almost universally voting for Kirigiri as the not-guilty party. They've both struck chords with audiences of the opposite gender."  
_. "_You know, I have an idea."_ Monokuma said. "_It's time for some music!"  
_. _"Seriously?"_ Maizono asked in disbelief.  
_. "How about 'Theory of A Deadman'?"_ Monokuma suggested. _"You know, you have to love this, viewers! It's the middle of the trial 5! Entertainment galore! And in the middle of the sprint! Loser looks elimination dead! In! The! Eye! But what does it take to win or lose this race?"  
_. "_He's monologuing." _Naegi said, panting with hands still on his knees. "_Monokuma must be really confident."  
__. "He sure loves hype."_ Kirigiri commented.  
._ "You guys ready to go again?_"Celeste said.  
_. "How come you're not tired?"_ Maizono asked the Ultimate Gambler.  
. _"Let's just say in the underground gambling world, you need to know when to cut your losses and just run." _Celeste replied, as her jacket lay in a heap at the foot of the first floor staircase.  
. _"You know what, I'm not even going ask." _Naegi wisely commented, continuing to gasp for air.  
._ "Come on, Celeste. Please elaborate."_ Monokuma asked._ "I'm sure the viewers would love to hear more. It's not everyday that they get a glimpse into something like that. Since we're at a slow moment, what about you, Maizono? How about an inside look on the idol business? I'd love to hear more about your attempted cover of Pepsiman."  
_. "_Fuck you, Monokuma. My agent always believed I could command large ratings, but not like this." Maizono sighed. "Never once in a million years, did I think me sprinting around a school custom built for murder would land me with such viewership."_  
. Naegi giggled.  
._ "What's so funny?"_ Celeste asked as she leaned against the wall.  
_. "I'm just imagining my sister's reaction to watching her brother do this."_ Naegi sighed. _"Given Monokuma's modus operandi, I have no doubt that she's watching."_  
_. "And?"_ Naegi having a sister was news to Celeste. _"What do you think her reaction has been? I imagine she has been fearing for your safety."_  
. _"I imagine, most of her reactions have been 'ZOMG'! Please don't die, Sayaka! Oh, and Makoto, too! This is intense!"_  
_. "What?_" Maizono said. _"What? Why would she be more concerned about me than you?"_  
_. "Yeah. I mean, well, she has been a huge fan of you."_ Naegi explained.  
. Twenty minutes later, and after many foot races between Naegi and Kirigiri, Celeste was forced to conclude that the results were inconclusive. Neither one was significantly faster than the other one. and their legs were wearing out. Almost everybody had gathered together, except Fujisaki.  
_. "Well, that wasn't a waste of time."_ Leon said, sarcastically.  
_. "I don't know about you." _Monokuma said._ "But I certainly was entertained, and I'm sure the viewers were."  
__. "Hey, where's Fujisaki?" _Maizono asked, pointing out the absence of the small programmer.  
. "_Oh, shit, a mid-trial murder?"_ Naegi said. "_What else can be thrown at us?"  
__. "If you're looking for Fujisaki, he's in the Monokuma store._" Monokuma explained.  
. The seven people rushed to the Monokuma store. There they found Fujisaki in front of the Mono-mono machine, he was holding a small metallic sphere, and looking at it with disdain.  
. "_I don't remember that being one of the prizes when I checked here on the first day."_ Naegi said.  
_. "Oh, I see, Fujisaki. I just added that prize a few days ago." _Monokuma said, explaining the origins of the toy.  
_. "I was trying to win a Jimmy Decay T-Shirt." _Fujisaki sighed. _"But instead I won a Metal Upa."  
__, "A Metal Upa?" _Naegi asked.  
_. "Oh yeah, I heard about those. My idol group and I loved to collect them, especially Satomi . Metal Upas are pretty rare." _Maizono said, as she smiled wistfully about days gone by.  
_. "Seriously?" _Genocider said.  
_. "Satomi also liked to get Gero Froggies too. But yeah, the five of us would all watch Rainet Kakeru in our spare time." _Maizono explained. "_Never really got into the game ourselves though. We were too busy with our careers."  
__. "Isn't that like in its third season?" _Naegi asked.  
_. "Yeah."  
__. "Well, then it's very successful. It seems like a lot of anime don't even get SECOND Seasons." _Naegi sighed. "Let alone third seasons."  
_. "Oh, come on, Naegi.__ Plenty of Anime get second seasons. Code Geass for one."  
__. "It's classified as an uglycute character." _Fujisaki said, holding the metallic sphere in his hand, and flipping up the air in a pseudo-juggling motion, and then  
palming it.  
_. "Going to the Monokuma shop, talk about a waste of time." _Togami commented as the eight of them headed back to the trial room and returned to their slots.  
_. "No, it wasn't a waste of time." _Fujisaki said_. "I was thinking about it, and what if two people murdered someone simultaneously?"  
__. "What are you saying?" _Maizono said.  
_. "I'm saying what if it's possible that two people murder the same person at the same time." _Fujisaki said._ "We can only pick one culprit. And even if we pick one culprit, the other culprit goes free."  
__. "Fujisaki, where are you going with this?" _Togami said.  
_. "I'm saying it would be a foolproof way." _Fujisaki said._ "With the setup of the current rules, at least one person gets out, the culprit who got away. But I don't know if we would be executed. Are we executed because we didn't get the culprits, plural? Or do we avoid execution because we technically got a right culprit? Well, Monokuma?"  
__. "Well- I?" _Monokuma was at a loss for words._ "Well—I, had never considered it."  
__. "Uh huh."_ Kirigiri said._ "And yet what would you do in that scenario?"  
__. "Wait, is she actually suggesting she and Naegi both murdered Ikusaba?" _Maizono said.  
_. "Oooooo, shit just got interesting." _Genocider said, waggling her tongue.  
_. "Let's not think about that unless we've got to." _Maizono said._ "Now where were we?"  
__. "The time of the murder." _Togami said._ "We agreed that the culprit had to murder Mukuro before 7:30 AM, but that they couldn't have finished up their time at the scene of the crime until after 7:30 AM when they needed to move the tarps from Ikusaba's corpse.  
__. "In any case, this murder has used a lot of red herrings." _Kirigiri said.  
_. "So what about that knife?" _Leon said._ "The Monokuma file said it was stabbed all the way through the back of the corpse."  
__. "There are two reasons why the knife isn't the murder weapon." _Naegi said._ "Number one, it was stabbed through the lab coat, but not through the tarp. And number two, a knife can not be the cause of the death. The cause of death according to the file was blunt force to the head."  
_._ "Like the duralumin arrows?" _Togami said.  
_. "Yeah._" Naegi said.  
_. "Wait, explain."_ Genocider said.  
_. "Naegi and I found a locker in the dojo with bloody arrows and tape." _Togami explained. _"If you tape the arrows together, you could get something that inflicted the wound."  
__. "A single arrow is fragile, but a bunch is strong."_ Genocider said, sagely. "  
. _"Ah, yes, and it's possible to expand on that." _Naegi said._ "We found the dojo locker key in Kirigiri's room."  
__. "Impossible."_ Kirigiri said, pointing out a key element of her defense.  
_. "How so?"  
__. "I was not able to enter my room."  
__. "What?"_ Monokuma shot up.  
_. "Togami had my room key." _Kirigiri said.  
_. "So the only person who could have grabbed the dojo locker room is Naegi." Leon said.  
__. "Wait, what?"_ Maizono said.  
_. "But I couldn't have gotten into Kirigiri's room either. Togami still had your room key."  
__. "Yes, that's correct. I still have Kirigiri's room key." _Togami confirmed._ "Where are you going with this?"  
__. "So neither could have planted it." _Leon said. _"The only one who could have planted it was Togami, and Togami can't be the killer. He has an airtight alibi."  
__. "There's something wrong with this." _Celeste said._ "This isn't like Asahina's murder. We're running out of options."  
__. "You guys are going to have to do come a decision soon. Wouldn't it be awful I cut you all short just because I was bored." _Monokuma said.  
_. "And what about your viewers?" _Naegi said.  
_. "Are they not entertained?" _Maizono said.  
_. "What?" Togami said.  
__. "Gladiator. You know the 2000 movie?"_ Maizono said.  
_. "Yeah, alright. So what's the point?" _Leon said  
_. "The point is, "How fast does Monokuma want this to end?" _Naegi said_.  
__. "You guys are modern-day gladiators in this academic coliseum." _Monokuma said._ "It's rather fitting. Gladiators fought for the entertainment of the Roman people."  
__. "Just watch." _Naegi said.  
_. "How did you?" _Togami said._ "Wait, what's going on?"  
__. "And let's not forget how the body blew up."_Naegi said.  
_. "How?" _Fujisaki said._  
__. "Remember the bomb the Monokuma you dismantled had?" _Naegi said._ "I went back to check the gymnasium. It was gone."  
__. "Oh, you've got to be kidding me." _Togami said.  
_. "I can't choose." _Togami thought to himself._ "Every time it looks like one of them is the culprit, the other proves something that they couldn't have done it. I'm supposed to be Byakuya Togami, heir to the giant Togami conglomerate. I was bred to be decisive at critical moments. Could be Fujisaki be right? Could they both be the culprit? Or could neither?"  
__. "Enough." _Fujisaki said._ "We need to work fast."  
_. "_How?"  
__. "We've reached a dead end." _Leon said. _"We're out of options."  
_._ "Not necessarily."_ Celeste said. _"Let's run through everything again."  
__. "Get busy living or get busy dying." _Monokuma commented.  
_. "What does a Fallout Boy song have anything to do with this trial?"_ Fujisaki said.  
_. "Huh?" _Celeste said.  
_. "What? I like punk rock. Are you surprised?" _Fujisaki said.  
_. "Yeah. Kinda." _Genocider commented.  
_. "In any case, it might be more appropriate than the Sonic Rush's soundtrack. Isn't that right, Monokuma?" _Naegi said.  
_. "What?" _Monokuma said.  
_. "You're playing 'Get Edgy'" _Naegi responded.  
_. "Ow, the edge!" Fujisaki couldn't resist chiming in.  
__. "Well, I mean, both games were released in 2005." _Naegi pointed out.  
_. "I think this trial is going off the rails." _Monokuma replied.  
_. "Oh, I quite agree." _Kirigiri said. _"Though for a multitude of reasons different from expected."  
__. "We've got two different suspects who are both equally suspicious." _Togami said, grasping at the stand in front of him._ "And in each case, both are able to take the blame off of themselves with ease."  
__. "Worse case scenario, we have a 50% chance." _Celeste said.  
_. "And you're willing to take that?" _Leon argued.  
_. "In the gambling world, a fifty percent chance is as good as you're going to get. Any maneuver that yields more than ten percent of success is considered a good approach." _Celeste countered, using her own personal experience as the backdrop for her reasoning.  
_. "Or it could be a 100% chance. It could be both of them." _Fujisaki said.  
_. "But if that's the case we have a 100% chance of missing out on one of them."_ Leon said.  
_. "Well, Monokuma, have you reached a decision about that?"  
__. "Yes, about that. If the class gets a culprit right, they aren't executed. It's as simple as that." _Monokuma said._ "If a culprit escapes detection, they will leave."  
__. "So that would make it a surefire thing that both did it." _Fujisaki said.  
_. "But this wasn't known before now." _Celeste pointed out_.  
__. "Both Naegi and Kirigiri don't have alibis, if they were both asking Monokuma about this prospective loophole, it could work."  
__. "That's impossible." _Maizono said._ "Monokuma was dismantled and out of commission last night."  
__. "How can you say that?" _Naegi said. _"I'm not the culprit."  
__. "Ah, but it's to your advantage to say that." _Fujisaki pointed out.  
_. "So you mean, we have to choose one to die and one to kick out." _Genocider said.  
_. "Aw, that is messed up." _Leon said_. "Who leaves and who dies?"  
__. "That's assuming there ARE two culprits." _Monokuma said.  
_. "Shit, we've been put in an impossible situation." _Togami said._  
__. "Aww, what's wrong, Togami? I thought you wanted to be the one to make the judgment call in all scenarios."_ Monokuma taunted him.  
_. "Togami?"  
__. "No, he's right." _Togami said._ "It's time for a judgment call."  
__. "This is absurd." _Leon said.  
_. "Absurdly amazing!"_ Monokuma commented._ "I love these plot developments."  
__. "Hold on." _Celeste pointed out. _"Why do you get to make the judgment call? All eight of our lives are at stake here. We should do what we always do, and vote."  
__. "That's rich, coming from you.": _Genocider said._ "Mrs. 'I have to strategize and everybody do what I tell you'"  
__. "You're going to try to do this now!" _Leon said._ "Just because you're comfortable leaving your fate up to Mr. Rich over there doesn't mean the rest of us are!"  
__. "Excuse me?" _Togami said.  
_. "Yeah, you heard me. Mr. Heir. You were just fortunate to be born into that title." _Leon said.  
_. "How dare you!" _Togami hissed._ "I earned my title."  
__. "Sure you did, pal."_ Leon sarcastically replied.  
_. "I beat out my fourteen half-siblings to become the chosen heir of the Togami conglomerate. It required every ounce of my intelligence and physical durability."  
__. "Fourteen?" _Maizono said. _"There were that many of you?"  
__. "Yeah. And I was trying to take them all on as the youngest." _Togami added.  
_. "See, I told you Master earned his talent."_ Genocider said.  
_. "Genocider, just shut the fuck up!"_ Togami was on edge. _"Tell me, Mr. All-Star, you don't even want to play baseball. I heard you when you introduced yourself to Naegi. Why are you here then?"  
__. "I want to be a rock star."_ Leon said. "_It's going to be so awesome.".  
__. "Do you have any idea how difficult it is to even get into the music industry?"_ Maizono said. _"You can't just snap your fingers and suddenly make it. You have to have a fine ear for tunes, and sounds, and you have to willing to do anything. If that means staying up three days in a row in order to get the perfect sound for a single, that's what you do. You'd probably just play around with the instruments and recorders for fun. "  
__. "It's a long way to the top if you wanna rock 'n' roll." _Monokuma interjected.  
_. "That's an electric comment you had there."_ Maizono said, sarcastically.  
_. "Well, I'll just be a punk musician. It should be much easier."_ Leon replied.  
_. "How dare you." _Fujisaki said._ "Punk takes actual effort."  
__. "What?" _Kirigiri said in disbelief.  
_. "Yeah, I mentioned it like twenty minutes ago. I like punk." _Fujisaki said._ "I've been trying to get that Jimmy Decay T-Shirt from the Monokuma shop for several days now. Fight me."  
__. "No, I heard you. It's just 'Seriously?'_ Kirigiri's usual deadpan delivery was in shock.  
_. "I'll punk your ass with my sweet tunes after this damn school life of Mutual Killing is over."_ Leon said.  
_. "Oh yeah, go ahead. Try. You don't know the first thing about the proper sound for punk, do you?"  
__. "Then I'll learn." _Leon said,  
. Fujisaki scoffed.  
_. "Hey, it's certain possible for an athlete to have a music career." _Monokuma added.  
_. "Shut up, Monokuma."_ Fujisaki and Leon combined to shout.  
. "_You guys are nutcases." _Genocider Shou couldn't resist saying.  
_. "Oh, that's rich." _Celeste said. "_That's the pot calling the kettle black."  
__. "Is that why your original outfit stole Monokuma's color scheme?" _Genocider said as Monokuma started up another song.  
_. "Excuse me?"  
_. _"Yeah, the black and white lolita shit you had going on. You were my first pick for the mastermind."  
__. "I thought I told you to shut up."_ Togami shouted at Genocider.  
. No sooner had the words come out of Togami's mouth then the lyrics of the song started up.  
._ "I feel depressed, I feel so bad./ 'Cause you're the best girl that I ever had."  
_._ "Huh."_ That was all Kirigiri could say at the unfolding sequence of events.  
. _"Uh-oh, little girl, psychotic reaction./ And it feels like this!"  
__. "You like this song?"_ Monokuma asked._ "It was recommended to me. Count Five's 'Psychotic Reaction!'"  
_. Everybody was at a loss for words for a minute.  
_. "I need you girl, by my side./Uh-oh, little girl, would you like to take a ride, now."  
_. As the three minute song was ending, Naegi was shaking his head_. "He's just trolling us at this point."  
__."There, now how you do guys feel?" _Monokuma asked,  
_. "Somehow even worse." _Fujisaki was glum.  
_. "It's time to vote." _Monokuma said._ "Cast your votes now."  
__._ Each person voted for who they believed to be the culprit.  
_. "What's this?" _Monokuma said in shock._ "WE HAVE A TIE!"  
__. "What now?" _Leon said.  
_. "Well, ordinarily, it's supposed to be majority rules." _Monokuma said.  
_. "Is this like the U.S. Senate?" _Togami said._ "I assume that essentially since you are the President Pro Tempore of this school, you get to break the tie?"  
__. "But he knows who the culprit is!" _Naegi said._ "He could pick the wrong culprit on purpose."  
__. "Indeed, he never set any rules on ties." _Celeste said. _"So for him to choose a tiebreaker now would be soundly unfair."  
__. "I didn't set any rules for ties! Because it never once occurred to me that there were ever be a tie!" _Monokuma said, frustrated.  
_. "What I want to know is who voted which way?" _Togami asked.  
_. "I voted Kirigiri." _Maizono said.  
_. "I chose Naegi as the guilty one." _Celeste said.  
_. "As did I." _Kirigiri added.  
_. "I went with Kirigiri." _Naegi said.  
_."My gut told me to go with Naegi." _Genocider said.  
_. "I went with Kirigiri." _Leon said.  
_. "As did I." _Fujisaki seconded.  
_. "So that's four votes for me and three votes for Naegi." _Kirigiri concluded._ "Well, Togami, did you vote for Naegi?  
__. "Looks like Togami gets to make the judgment call after all." _Monokuma snickered.  
. And in that moment, Togami knew that the time for hesitation had past. It was time that he revealed his vote.  
_. "I voted for Naegi."  
__. "Four and four." _Kirigiri said. _"Well, this makes things interesting."  
__. "So we're back where we started."_ Fujisaki said.  
_. "Maybe some of Naegi's luck spread to us."_ Genocider said, cackling.  
_. "But what do we do now?" _Maizono asked fearfully._ "We didn't get the culprit wrong."  
__. "But you didn't get it right." _Monokuma argued._ "I could execute all of you right now."  
__. "And lose the source of your attention." _Kirigiri asked.  
. _"What?_" Monokuma seemed suspiciously alert. _"How so?"  
__. "You organized this School Life of Mutual Killing as a way to show off to the world."  
__. "But you hedged your bets with the whole Monokuma facade."_ Togami said. _"Clever. If it turned out badly for you, you could cut your losses and leave."  
__. "Is that really what you think?" _Monokuma said. _"You know what, let's leave the outcome of this trial to chance."  
__. "What?"_ Celeste said.  
_. "I have in my paw, a Monokuma coin. Heads and Tails."_ Monokuma said, showing each side off as he stood in the center of the trial stands. "_Heads for Kirigiri, Tails for Naegi. That's who you voted for. If it lands heads, your vote will be Kirigiri. If it's Tails, your vote will be Naegi. And we'll go from there."  
_. Monokuma stood.  
. _"Everybody ready?"  
_. He flipped the coin.  
. It landed... on its side.  
. _"Darn, let's do it again."_ Monokuma sighed.  
. Monokuma tried again. It landed Tails.  
._ "Ding Ding Ding. Looks like Naegi is being voted the culprit. For someone who's called the Ultimate Luckster, you sure didn't have any luck just now. And it seems you're the only one to be executed."  
__. "What?"_ Naegi was in shock.  
. And all of a sudden, before anybody could react, Naegi was sitting in a desk on a conveyor belt. He could heard the sound of a crusher behind him.  
. _"No!" _Maizono was trying to scramble over the chain link fence that separated her from Naegi, but Kirigiri and Genocider held her back.  
_. "It's no use, kid."_ Genocider sighed. "_It's over. I hate to say it, but welcome to the first day of the rest of your life."  
__. "Fucking fuck! You and I both know he didn't do it!"  
__. "I know. We know. He knows."_ Genocider said. "_The world will know too."  
__. "I will get the mastermind, you hear me!"_ Maizono screamed at Monokuma. _"As soon as I find you, you are dead. I will personally rip out your internal organs and feed them to pigs. I will gut you like the filthy, rotten animal you are."  
__. "Feeling the despair, yet, Maizono?_" Monokuma trailed off, for something unexpected had happened. After everything that had happened, just when Monokuma thought nothing else could be unexpected, it happened.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Waiting on the North American release of V3. Seriously. In the meantime, I'm starting the Persona series. As far as I know, Dangan Ronpa has never had a tie vote in a trial before. Or two students murdering the same individual. Or a mid-trial murder.


	37. Sombrero of Convergence

HOLY CRAP! THE PELICANS GOT THEMSELVES DEMARCUS COUSINS. BOOGIE AND AD TOGETHER! GET HYPED! (on Izayoi's birthday) AD AND BOOGIE TOGETHER. Now if only the guard depth wasn't so shallow. So lately, it's been harder and harder to reach 4000 words per chapter. Mostly because my mind is moving too far ahead in the story.

Chapter 37:  
. Makoto Naegi was in trouble. Well, that was an understatement. In a few seconds, he would be dead for a crime he hadn't committed. And yet strangely, he had a feeling that the other main suspect Kyoko Kirigiri was innocent, and while he appreciated the avenging attitude Maizono had, he was still trying to find a way for him to get out of there.  
. "_So here I am. Should have known I was going to wind up dead sooner or later.":The conveyor was moving awfully slow, or was his brain moving extremely fast? He was barely paying attention to Monokuma's lecture on sex ed._  
. _"Crap, I hope Maizono finds a way out of here. Damn it, Kyoko, I'm the one being executed here. You owe me. Get here out of here."_ Naegi thought silently hoping Kirigiri could somehow be psychic to read his mind.  
._ "All right, can I move my hands? Slightly. Can I move my legs? Shit. No."_ The crusher was getting closer.  
. _"What if I'm able to scoot the desk over off the conveyor belt? Maybe. Fuck it, Komaru will never forgive me if I don't try to do something! Aww, crap, Komaru. She's watching this. Or has she averted her eyes? This is being broadcast to who knows how many people and only Monokuma knows the truth that I didn't murder Mukuro Ikusaba. Just my luck."_  
. Naegi began wiggling the desk over.  
. _"Hey, what are you doing?"_ Monokuma asked indignantly as though Makoto was being discourteous.  
. _"If you think that I'm going to let you execute me, especially considering I didn't do it, you've got another thing coming._"  
. "_What are you talking about?"_ Monokuma argued. "_You're the culprit. You were voted as the culprit."_  
. Naegi smirked.  
._ "Wiggle all you want, you're not getting out of there."  
. "Maybe so. But I'll be damned if I get out of here without a fight."  
. "You think you're going to use your Luck to get you out of this? I don't know if you have this notion, but listen pal, you think you're the only Lucky Student? Bitch, please. I met someone who was luck personified." _  
. The rest of the class could only watch as Naegi attempted to get out of his own execution.  
_. "And his name was?"_ Naegi said, as he hoped to distract Monokuma from his progress.  
_. " The 77__th__ Class's Lucky Student. Nagito Komaeda. Could blow up a school gymnasium and GET AWAY WITH IT. I don't know how the administration convinced themselves to blame that trio from Class 76. Especially the Blacksmith. Though I suppose they thought he could have made the actual bomb. Then again, it WAS before my time._"  
_. "The hell._" Kirigiri said. "_My father actually let someone crazy like that stay enrolled at Hope's Peak enrolled AFTER that."  
__. "Wait a minute,..."_ Celeste thought. _"I've met him before. I know I did."  
_._ "Sure thing, sister. Jin Kirigiri cared a little too much about talent. Or maybe it was because Nagito Komaeda was always very intriguing."  
__"So you're not the headmaster."_ Togami said.  
_. "Bingo."_ Monokuma replied. _"Hey, hey, what are you doing?"_ Monokuma directed his attention back to Naegi who gotten at least part of the desk off the conveyor belt.  
._ "Eh, I needed a distraction." _Naegi said. "_And this Nagito Komaeda wouldn't happen to be the same voice that was talking to us earlier."  
__. "No, that was the Musician, Ibuki Mioda. Killer AMV music maker. Same class as Nagito Komaeda though. Good ol' 77-B."  
__. "Another one!"_ Kirigiri was in shock.  
. "_What, you thought a single teenager could shake the world up as much as I did. I did have help after all. Whoops, guess you could consider that motive number six. Seems a pain to give it away when execution for trial five is still underw-Hey!"  
_. Naegi was lying on his side with the desk. The lower half was still on the conveyor belt so he was still being pulled along. It had jolted his head, but there was no time for him to be dazed. He had an obligation to fight towards the end.  
._ "Come on, almost there."_ The crusher was in Naegi's ears- and it stopped.  
_. "Alter Ego?" _Naegi said in shock.  
._ "What? Wait, what?" _Monokuma said, as the conveyor hadn't stopped..  
. Naegi was headed downwards … the hard way.  
_. "I can't believe it!" _Monokuma said, as he stamped his paw in frustration.  
._ "Oh well, I guess he'll die the slow way."_ Monokuma sighed.  
_. "Alter Ego!"_ Maizono said, in shock, as she attempted to scale the fence separating her from the execution.  
_. " Wait, Maizono, come on, it's time for us to go."_ Celeste said.  
_. "Celeste, we can't just leave him in the dumpster."_ Maizono argued.  
. _"And you have some way of retrieving him?"_ Celeste asked. "_You don't even know how to get down there. And even if you did, how would you and he get back up? Either he's dead right now from the fall, or he'll last the night. We can't go rushing down there without a plan."  
__. "I'm in agreement with her."_ Genocider said. _"It serves no purpose to get him back right now. Monokuma would just try to execute him AGAIN."  
__. "But..."  
__. "You're being hasty."_ Kirigiri said.  
. Maizono scoffed as she left the trial room and heading for the elevator.  
._ "I suggest someone keep an eye on her."_ Togami said. _"Without Naegi around, there's no telling what she'll do."  
__. "What do you mean?" _Fujisaki said._ "Maizono wouldn't try to do that."  
__. "Things have changed. Before, she could lose Naegi. Now there's no problem."  
__. "What?" _Leon said.  
_. "Monokuma can't execute Naegi because Naegi is already in the dumpster and being executed as we speak."_ Togami said_. "She'll try something. I'm sure of it."  
__. "Wow, you are just the crowning asshole among assholes." _Leon said.  
_. "But if we solve her murder, she gets executed." _Genocider said._ "That's foolish."  
__. "In the same way as Naegi just did?" _Leon said._ "Well, I suppose that's one way to get into the dumpster."  
__. "She wouldn't do that, would she?"_ Kirigiri thought to herself as Togami strolled to the elevator.  
Sometime later, Togami was in his room, reading.  
._ "So you've decided that Maizono takes center stage, is that right?"_ Monokuma said. _"How appropriate."  
__. "Why not, it's not such a bad idea? She's the idol. Her natural position is front and center."  
__. "Leaves you in the background."  
__. "Leaves you to deal with a two-headed monster. If Kirigiri doesn't get you with her logic, then Maizono will get you with her rampages. And if both of those fail, well, then, I'm in prime position to beat you myself."  
__. "Are you purposing this in an attempt to try and shift attention away from yourself?"  
_. Maizono was sitting the cafeteria with dead eyes, silent at the events of the previous class trial when Kirigiri walked in.  
_. "Maizono. He didn't do it._" Kirgiri showed her the Monokuma key. It didn't matter that Monokuma knew she had the key. He knew it. She knew it. But Maizono needed to know that Makoto Naegi was innocent. Or she might snap.  
"_What is that?"_ Maizono said.  
. _"The master key."  
_. "_So that means you did it?" _Maizono stared at her in quiet anger, ready to pounce.  
_. "No, I didn't do it either." _Kirigiri replied.  
_. "If you didn't do it, and Naegi didn't do it. What's going on?"  
__. "I intend to find out. Will you help me?"  
__. "Ah, that's cute." _Monokuma said as Kirigiri hastily grabbed the key_. "Only your Oreki is sitting at the bottom of the dumpster."  
__. "What?"  
__. "Oh right, you haven't seen Hyouka. The last episode should be coming out any day now, but I'm a bit behind. Now give me the key, Kyoko Kirigiri."  
__. "No. I don't have to."  
__. "Why not?"  
__. "You said that there were no hindrances to how we explored. I broke no rules in order to acquire this key. Isn't that why you set up Trial 5?"  
_. Monokuma hastily shuffled off. _"You know what, I have other people to torment."  
_. Maizono was silent.  
_. "Why should I trust you? You could have revealed this at the trial."  
__. "And let me get executed for a murder I didn't commit. No, thank you."  
_. Maizono stared at her. "_And so the appropriate response was to let Naegi take the fall."  
__. "No, wait, I didn't mean that. I'm not very good with pathos. Look, come with me to the baths. And I'll get you to trust me."  
__. "This ought to be good," _Maizono followed Kirigiri to the bath.  
. Meanwhile, Fujisaki was in the library with a Mathematical textbook. He was looking at the trignometric theorems on the inside of the cover.  
._ "Well, at least this will take my mind off what just happened."  
_– cos^2(x)+sin^2(x) = 1  
– tan^2(x) +1 = sec^2(x)  
– 1 +cot^2(x) = csc^2(x)  
– sin (u) + sin (v) = 2sin((u+v)/2)*cos((u-v)/2)  
– sin (u) – sin (v) = 2cos((u+v)/2)*sin((u-v)/2)  
. Trig identities were odd for Fujisaki, all were proven by the unit circle, and based off the idea that x^2+y^2=1.  
. _"Well, that's a strange way to react to an execution."_ Togami said, as he appeared over Fujisaki's shoulder and noted the book Fujisaki was pouring over. _"Someone dies and your response is to learn trigonometry."  
__. "Review actually."  
__. "Uh huh. This isn't exactly the line of response most people would follow up with."  
__. "You know he was innocent."_ Fujisaki whispered.  
._ "Yeah."_ Togami sighed_. "Why did he have to go and make things so complex? If it had been Kirigiri, that would have wrapped everything up neatly."  
__. "Are you surprised?"  
__. "Not really. He runs his mouth. Manages to be the center of attention despite being here on a fluke. "  
__. "Maybe that was the point of the Lucky Student. To keep the other students grounded in reality."  
__. "Perhaps. But has he been lucky or unlucky?"  
__. "What?"  
__. "The case could be made for either. On one hand, he was executed. That's unlucky. On the other hand, he survived his execution. That's lucky."  
__. "Where are you going with this?"  
__. "If each trial is a phase of this School Life of Mutual Killing, we're on Phase 6. Nothing is supposed to reach Phase 6 without something going wrong. There hasn't been an opening."  
__. "Are you so sure about that?" _Celeste appeared.  
_. "Hey, guys!" _Monokuma said._ "How we all doing?"  
__. "You seem more invasive than usual." _Celeste couldn't help but notice.  
_. "Well, someone has to pick up the sweet-ass one liners. Naegi's in the dumpster." _Monokuma replied.  
_. "Is that all you're going to do?"_ Fujisaki replied._ "You're going to get on of our nerves."  
__. "But...but... I thought you guys liked me."  
__. "Shut it, bearface."  
__. "I will not be disrespected like this."  
__. "Says the operator who is acting an internet troll in real life." _Fujisaki countered.  
_. "Excuse me?"  
__. "You're hiding behind anonymity. You're insisting people should die. You bring shit up to bother people and agitate them. Let's face it, you're an internet troll come to life." _Fujisaki pointed out, listing his reasons. _"All you need is a funny hat."  
__. "Well, he's not wrong."_ Togami agreed.  
._ "Can't find any fault in that reasoning."_ Celeste concurred.  
_. "Screw you." _Monokuma said. He sighed._ "Maybe the focus group of Ultimate Despairs was right. A dog or cat might have been better."  
__. "We would have be taking you even less seriously." _Celeste said.  
_. "ARGH." _Monokuma said in anguish_.  
__. "How about a platypus?"_ Fujisaki said._ "A platypus would make things interesting."  
__. "Nah, everybody would expect me to be a secret agent."  
__. "What?"  
__. "You know what, I applaud your dedication to being the straight man." _Monokuma said, saluting as he left.  
_. "Well, that was strange sequence." _Togami said.  
_. "Maybe a direct comparison test is in order."  
__. "What?"_ Celeste said.  
_. "You know, a test to see whether a sequence or series converges or diverges."  
__. "I mean, isn't that an advanced mathematical concept?" _Togami pointed out.  
_. "Yeah, I suppose. So what?"  
__. "Calculus?" _Celeste said._ "I don't recall coming across it during my statistic studies."  
__. "You studied statistics? Wait, stupid question." _Togami pointed out.  
_. ""Yeah, it's a Calculus concept. I'm going to be honest with you. When I started a little while ago, I just breezed... through it." _Fujisaki said._ "Solved every problem I tried. Checked the back of the book to see if I was right and everything. It was like I had learned it before."  
__. "I see."_ Togami said. _"Maybe you're just good at math."  
__. "I'm not that good."_ Fujisaki said.  
_. "Eh, it's not exactly the strangest thing to happen in this school." _Celeste said as Togami got up to leave and go to bed.  
_. "Well, that's certainly true."_ Fujisaki agreed. "  
_. "Although I'm curious to see what his new limits are."_ Celeste said.  
. _"Well, if you do that, let me know so I can do a limit comparison test on Monokuma."_ Fujisaki snarked.  
_. "Are you making math puns?_" Celeste said.  
._ "When did you first start seeing the 'sines'?"_ Fujisaki said.  
_. "Picking up Naegi's slack."_ Celeste sighed as she, too left the library.  
. Fujisaki just sat in the library. Everything he did, everything he said, it was all on display for the world to see. The whole world had seen who he had started out as, and who he was now. If he had known from the beginning, would he still have had the courage to go through with what he did? Maybe, or maybe not. It didn't matter now. His father was watching. His mother was presumably watching too. So what would be his next move?  
. He flipped to another page of the textbook. It was a chart for the list of Sequence and Series Tests. For instance, the nth Term test could only prove divergence, never convergence. It was the only test out of the ten that was divergence-based. Leon walked in.  
_. "Hey, Fujisaki. Seriously? You're doing math at a time like this."  
__. "Why not? I need a mental distraction."  
__. "Uh huh. Well, that's one hell of a mental distraction."  
__. "Speaking of one, both of the ratio and root tests are inconclusive if the results come out as one."  
__. "What?"  
__. "Don't worry about it. Just thinking about something."  
_. He stared at the wall.  
_. "Why can't every trial be as straightforward as the p-series test?"  
__. "The what now?"  
__. "You know the p-series test for series? The summation of one over n raised to an exponent. If p is greater than one, the series converges, if it's in between 0 and less than or equal to one, it diverges."  
_. "_Wait, what if the exponent is negative?"  
__. "Then that actually falls under the Geometric Series test, but a negative exponent causes the term to switch sides of a fraction. In that case, for any series of 'a' times 'r' raised to the nth power, the rules for convergence are actually rather straightforward. If the absolute value of r falls between zero and one, it functions converges. If the absolute value of r is greater than one, then it diverges. Something else to note is that the sum is 'a' over all of one minus r."  
__. "I'll take your word for it. I'm not much a math guy"  
__. "But I thought you were a baseball guy!"  
__. "So what? In what world does baseball equate to math?"  
__. "Baseball has hell of a lot of statistics. So I thought..."  
__. "You thought wrong." _Leon gritted his teeth. "Sorry, I guess I'm still on edge from the last trial." Leon excused himself.  
. Fujisaki turned back to the chart.  
. Maizono was sitting in the cafeteria still in shock over what happened.  
_. "Come on, Maizono. Eat your tomatoes. It doesn't matter if you love them or hate them." _Monokuma said, placing a plate of diced tomatoes in front of her.. Maizono gave him the finger.  
_. "Would you have eaten them if I were a cat? But seriously, what do your fans think of such vulgarity?"  
__. "My boyfriend is in a garbage chute. I think I'm entitled to give you the middle finger."  
__. "Uh-huh. Well, maybe you should have taken better care of him."  
__. "Monokuma?"  
__. "Yes?"  
__. "You're a prick. And I don't need to take care of him. Naegi is perfectly capable of taking care of himself."  
__. "Uh huh. If he were able to do that, he wouldn't have ended up in a garbage chute."  
__. "Monokuma?"  
__. "Yes?"  
__. "Does it look like I give a fuck?"  
__. "I've never seen your "give a fuck" face in the first place, so how am I suppose to know?"  
__. "Now go away, Monokuma, or I shall taunt you a second time."  
__. _Maizono looked at the clock. It was 10 PM. She went to bed.  
. Kirigiri woke up early the next morning. The stress of yesterday had still not subsided. On the way to the cafeteria, she ran into Leon.  
._ "Hell of day yesterday. So I have to ask. Did you murder Mukuro Ikusaba?"  
__. "No."  
__. "Alright. I have no choice but to take your word. Still we're missing our lynchpin."  
__. "Indeed, Naegi was the biggest thorn in Monokuma' side."_ Kirigiri mused.  
_. "We'll have to do this as a team."_ Fujisaki responded.  
_. "So without our star, we'll have to platoon it."  
__. "What?"  
__. "It's a baseball term."_ Leon explained. "_The term was coined in the 1940s, but it goes back much further than that. Platooning is when you make up for a lack of star power at a position by substituting in different players at different times depending on the situation. Casey Stengel used it to great effect."  
__. "Huh."_ Kirigiri said._ "And did it work?"  
__. "He went seven for ten in World Series over a span of eleven years. He won 5 World Series from 1949 to 1953, and another two in 1956 and 1958. And he won another three American Pennants in 1955, 1957, and 1960. You tell me?" _Leon stated, bemusedly.  
_. "Most of my team at my old school were members of platoons."_ Leon admitted. _"That's why I know it so well. And that's also why the managers recruited me so heavily. You can platoon at a lot of positions, but you can't platoon at every position at once."  
__. "A team can only have so many players." _Kirigiri said.  
_. "Roster limits. And just straight old team chemistry. It was part of the reason Hope's Peak chose me as the baseball star. Because I performed well no matter what teammates my managers put around me."  
__. "Huh. How about that?"_ Fujisaki said.  
._ "Hey!_" Monokuma was up_. "Platooning. That's an interesting approach. It never crossed my mind that the sport of baseball might lead you to your next moves."  
__. "If you're looking to get us killed via trial, you've pulled a Platinum Sombrero."  
__. "A what?"  
__. "You've struck out at getting us five times."  
__. "Is this part of a new gimmick?"_ Monokuma said., putting his paw up to his ear in mock imitation of taking a call. "_Hold on. What's that? And a golden sombrero is when you strike out four times in a single game. M1, could you see if there is a term for six? Or does N2 know it off the top of his head?  
__. "Huh. What's going on?"_ Togami said, unimpressive.  
_. "He's pulling a Bob Newhart." _Genocider said, bouncing off the walls.  
_. "How do you keep following me?"_ Togami said.  
_. "The doors to the dorm rooms may be soundproof, but they aren't smell proof!"_ Genocider said. "I_ smelled you."  
__. "Huh."  
__. "Okay, I'm getting three terms for striking out six times in a game. The first two are straightforward: is a double platinum sombrero, and a titanium sombrero make sense. But why in the hell is it also referred to as a 'Horn'?"  
_. There was an uneasy pause.  
_. "Oh, because of the former Baltimore Orioles' Designated Hitter Sam Horn after a 1991 performance? And that one was coined like seven years later. Alright." _Monokuma turned around.  
_. "What the hell are we doing, talking about sombreros?"_ Celeste said.  
_. "You know strikeouts in baseball?"  
__. "Yeah."  
__. "Well, it refers to striking out four or more times in a game."  
__. "Why 'sombrero'?"  
__. "Because it's a large hat. And it needed to be a bigger hat than the hat referred to in 'hat trick'." Leon explained.  
__. "Alright." _Celeste said, arms folded on the table._ "I... guess that makes sense. But whiy is it called a hat trick?"  
__. "Well, please."_ Monokuma said. _"What was this, baseball term day? Are you guys going to continue to make references?"  
__. "Well, it's more likely to than a left-handed shortstop."  
__. "Excuse me?" _Maizono said.  
_. "Yeah, left-handed people don't play second, shortstop, third, or catcher. Or let me rephrase it, those positions don't field left-handed. Players may bat left-handed."  
__. "Seriously, and why is that?." _Kirigiri said  
_. "Yeah, it's due to the extra half-second that comes from throwing it." _Leon said.  
_. "Speaking of half-seconds, I nearly got him._" Monokuma said, lamented as he left the cafeteria. "_I hate it when an execution doesn't go as planned."  
_. And the atmospheric edge was back. There were in a deadly School. That was an ugly truth. And they had just completed a class trial.  
_. "Wait a minute, we just completed a class trial." _Leon said. "_So does that mean new facilities open up?"  
__. "What even is there to left?" _Maizono said, entering. "_We hit the top floor."  
. "It's still possible._" Celeste said. "_Unless, of course, Monokuma didn't expect us to reach Trial 5."  
__. "However, shall we explore?" _Kirigiri said. "_After we've checked, reconvene here, there's something I want to show you guys."_

4/23/2017: It's the end of the school semester. Which means I have classes to think about it. I regret to inform my readers that the story is most likely on hiatus until V3 comes out in North America and I have finished playing it. Also, story-wise, this looks like a good place to stop. It is absolutely crucial that these next few chapters are written together before I publish them. But for those of you upset by this news, cheer up. I have plans for a sequel.


	38. Bloody Browsing

Sorry for the hiatus. I had some stuff to take care of. And I also wasn't completely sure on how to pace the progress. Nevertheless, it's hard to believe that 27 1/2 months later, I'm still writing this story with no signs of stopping. This feels like an odyssey in the making. Meanwhile, Rajon Rondo has signed with New Orleans! Pels stacked! League fucked!

Chapter 38: (7-15-17)

._ "Crank up the tunes."_ Monokuma said, over the intercom. "_How to Save A Life" by the Fray."  
. "Okay, now he's just taunting us.."_ Kirigiri said.  
_. "Here's your key."_ Togami said, tossing her room key back to Kirigiri. _"Now, what is it that you wanted to show us?"_  
_. "Follow me."_ Kirigiri said, as she led to the group to the other second floor staircase. With the master key, she unlocked the gate that barred access and raised it slightly above head level. They all followed her up to this new area. Upstairs looked like a war zone, there was collapsed rubble every where. A red door was visible in the distance. The circular lights shown down.  
_. "This doesn't make any sense."_ Togami said. _"Why is only this part of the school destroyed?"  
. "No idea."_ Kirigiri explained.  
. Fujisaki rounded a corner on the right. "_There's a locked door here."  
. "Yeah, I know. I tried to open that one. It wouldn't surprised me that if something's blocking it from the inside."  
. "Wait, Genocider go back downstairs and guard the staircase. I wouldn't be surprised if Monokuma tries to interfere with us going through this area."  
. "Aye. Aye."_ Genocider agreed to stand guard.  
_. "Before we continue, Kirigiri." _Maizono said. "_I have to ask. How did you unlock this?"  
. "With this key."_  
. Kirigiri dangled the key in front of the rest of the others.  
_. "Is that Monokuma's treasure?"  
. "Yes."_  
. There was a slam as Maizono pushed Kirigiri against the wall.  
. _"So that's why Monokuma framed Naegi. Because of you. He's sitting in a dumpster."  
. "He's alive."  
. "No thanks to you, you fully intended to sacrifice him, didn't you? After all, you voted for him."  
. "What kind of idiot votes for herself?"  
. "What kind of coward lets someone else take the fall for their murder?"  
. "Except I didn't murder her. And neither did Naegi. We got played, plain and simple. Monokuma analyzed the situation, and set us against each other."  
. "And now you're blaming Monokuma? When are you going to learn to accept the truth? He's in a dumpster, should be dead, and it's all on you. What could possibly so important about you?"  
. "Monokuma mentioned that the headmaster's name was Jin Kirigiri. If you haven't pieced it together yet, I'm the headmaster's daughter."  
. "And that gives you the right to live over someone else?"  
. "It gives me the authority to say that the headmaster is not Monokuma's operator."  
. "Well, duh, What kind of person would let his own daughter get thrown into this?"_ Leon pointed out.  
. _"It is theoretically possible, so never mind that, how can you tell?"_ Togami said.  
_. "Answer!"_ Maizono said, still gripping Kirigiri's jacket.  
_. "His speaking style and mannerisms don't match up with my father."  
. "Of course, that makes sense." _Celeste said. "_I use that tactic all of the time when gambling, the more familiar you are with your opponents the better of a feel you can get for their moves and what they are most likely to do."  
. "How do we know you're not lying, and you're not another mole?"_ Maizono said_. "I mean, Monokuma could have let you into his office. And then double-crossed you with this trial in order to get rid of you. Can't spill your secrets if you're dead."  
. "If her amnesia claim holds up."_ Fujisaki said.  
_. "Huh."  
. "Kirigiri claimed she had amnesia." _Fujisaki said. _"What would stop Monokuma from simply using it again as needed instead of setting her up as a fake culprit? I mean that seems awfully risky, and considering how Monokuma takes great care with his plans, it seems like if he could come up with something that posed less risk, he would have done it."_  
_. "Maybe the gains from getting Kirigiri dead would be much greater?"_ Togami said. _"After all, it's easier to take big risks and gambles in the market if you have enough money in the bank to negate any potential loss."  
. "I'll leave that thinking stuff to you." _Leon said. "_Are we continuing to explore?"  
. "No."_ Togami said. _"Listen, I think we've been up here too long. Let's go back."_  
. The seven of them went back. Kirigiri locked up the gate again, so as to prevent Monokuma from messing with the contents of the new area.  
_. "There you guys are."_ Monokuma was waiting around the dorm rooms._ "I was wondering where you guys all vanished off too. Our viewers don't like empty space."_  
. _"You're really buying into this."  
. "Oh yeah, the followers are really getting a kick out of this. And even non-fans can't turn away."  
. "It gnaws at people's fascination with the macabre." _Togami said.  
. _"You call it macabre. I call it despair. Same way that something warranting the title of 'Most Despairing Incident in the History of Mankind' could also be called World War III. Different names, but they refer to the same thing. You're a history buff, it could be the same way World War I has different names pre-World War II and post-World War II."  
. "What does he mean?"_ Leon asked.  
. "_Prior to World War II, World War I was usually titled as 'The War to End All Wars' and referred to in shorthand as 'The Great War'. After all, aside from Monokuma, would ever want to a sequel to one of the worst events in mankind?"_ Togami said.  
_. "And yet the elements of the sequel swallow up all the attention." _Monokuma said. _"Maybe the first one is only a setup for a greater picture, a greater scope. Gets people used to the setting and mechanics, and then you can introduce all sorts of players and new possibilities to the world."  
__. "Versed in military history, or are you just binge-reading on the internet?"_ Togami said.  
. _"Maybe."  
_. The students left to go to bed. There were all up the following morning by 8:30 AM and having breakfast when a new voice broke out of the monitor.  
_. "Hello!"_ A cheerful girl could be heard.  
. _"I remember her." _Celeste said._ "We heard her when we discovered Asahina's body."  
__. "Guess who's back. Back again. Ibuki's back. With a Friend. - No, seriously, this game's Camerawoman."  
__. "Hello, hi. I'm in charge of the cinematography. And I have to say, you guys are pretty photogenic."  
__. "Is that supposed to be a compliment?" _Leon shouted.  
_. "I take it you're the photographer from Class 77-B, Mahiru Koizumi." _Kirigiri said_.  
__. "How did you know?" _Fujisaki whispered to her.  
_. "The Headmaster's office."  
_. Togami glared at Kirigiri.  
_. "Damn." _the other girl's voice admitted._ "Might as well admit it, I am Mahiru Koizumi."  
__. "Which makes 'Ibuki' Ibuki Mioda. Class 77-B's Musician." _Kirigiri extrapolated.  
_. "Correct, I have provided the soundtrack for this game. You think the viewers want to watch the boring parts, I spice it up."  
__. "I take it then there's a time delay between recording and broadcast." _Togami said.  
_. "What? You thought everything was real-time?" _Mahiru asked. _"Of course, what else should I have expected from a guy such as yourself."  
_. Togami was mad.  
_. "That makes two people from Class 77-B." _Fujisaki pointed out.  
_. "This Ibuki Mioda sounds like a really basket case." _Leon said.  
_. "It all keeps adding up. I think I'm cracking up." _Ibuki said.  
_. "So what do we do now?" _Fujisaki asked.  
_. "Nothing we can do." _Genocider said.  
_. "ARGH. This is insane."  
__. "Our actions are on display for the whole world to watch." _Fujisaki said_. "Our parents and our friends have seen us commit murder and solve it, and we're supposed to react like this is normal."  
__. "Picking up Naegi's slack?" _Monokuma had arrived.  
_. "Somebody has to."_ Fujisaki pointed out, as he sat backwards on a chair in the cafeteria, lost in thought as he assessed the current situation.  
_. "Hey, what are you drinking?" _Kirigiri asked.  
_. "I'm trying out these energy drinks." _Fujisaki said.  
_. "How many have you had?"  
__. "This will be my third."  
_. And at that moment, Ibuki Mioda blurted out. _"Ooooo, I have something to play."  
__. "Ibuki, what is it?" _Mahiru sounded exasperated.  
_. "I get knocked down, but I get up again!"  
__. "Oh, you've got to be kidding me." _Maizono said, in equal exasperation.  
_. "Why?" _Fujisaki said.  
_. "You are never gonna keep me down."  
__. "Tubthumping by Chumbawamba. It sounds different, but those are the lyrics." _Maizono said.  
_. "What?" _Celeste said._ "Isn't that song like-"  
__. "From 1997? Yes."  
__. "We were basically toddlers or in pre-k when the original was released then."_ Togami pointed out.  
. For few minutes, only the song played in the background while the students sat in the cafeteria.  
_. "How did you guys like my cover?" _Ibuki was ecstatic.  
_. "Browser Wars were more entertaining."_ Fujisaki said, suddenly hyper.  
_. "I think the energy drinks finally got to him." _Leon said.  
_. "Well, considering he shows signs of an elevated heart rate, duh." _Genocider said.  
_. "Huh?" _Maizono said.  
_. "I'm a serial killer. I know things about the human body!"  
__. "Yeah, if you thought only console wars were a thing, oh no, prepare for browser wars!" _Fujisaki said, preparing to ramble.  
_. "You know what? Fine." Togami said.  
__. "The Mosaic Wars set everything up."  
__. "Damn it." _Leon said._ "But what else do we have to do? Lay it on us."  
__. "Well, considering in the late 1980s and early 1990s, Tim Berner-Lee came up with the first World Wide Web browser as a member of S.E.R.N. Berner-Lee came up with HTML and HTTP with that time frame. His browser would later be renamed Nexus."  
__. "Fascinating."_ Leon was engrossed in the story.  
_. "Boring!"_ Ibuki shouted.  
_. "Shut up." _Mahiru replied._ "Fujisaki explaining shit gets some of our highest ratings."  
__. "Nexus actually had a great many deal of interesting things about it. Actually it was renamed to avoid confusion with the Internet, then known as the World Wide Web."  
__. "Haven't I heard of Nexus?" _Maizono asked.  
_. "Smartphone. __Goodle __released a smartphone called the Nexus."  
__. "Ah, so that's it."  
__. "Anyways, back to the original Nexus. Written in the multi-platform language, Objective-C, for NeXTSTEP, the passive browser saw its initial release was Christmas 1990, only a day after the SERNhttpd. Development for Nexus took only about two months, but it would end up being released before SERNhttpd. Nexus was discontinued January 14__th__, 1994."  
__. "NeXTSTEP?" _Kirigiri said.  
_. "Yeah, NeXTSTEP was a Unix based Operating System first released on September 18__th__, 1989. The latest version in 1995 with a pre-release possibility as late as 1997. In summary for its importance, it's where ElectronicAppWrapper, the first software and application distrubtion catalog was first developed. Now the rights for the whole family belong to Apple, so a lot of Apple's software, especially the Mac OS X code descends from this family of software."  
__. "Holy shit. How do you keep this stuff straight?" _Genocider asked.  
_. "I don't know. I don't care. I got it straight."_ Fujisaki said._ "Actually, it's my knowledge of these facts that I'm somewhat proud of."  
__. "By mid-1992 and early-1993, a whole bunch of browsers showed up. Actually come to think of it, I think all of them or most of them originally received funding from a bill passed in December 1991 thanks to some American politician."  
__. "Al Gore." _Togami said.  
_. "Yo dude, how do you know that?" _Leon said.  
_. "You've never heard that false claim that Al Gore said he invented the internet?" _Togami said. _"Oh right, you don't follow politics, especially to such a niche intersect."  
__. "Al Gore didn't invent the Internet." _Fujisaki said.  
_. "I know that." _Togami said. _"He knows that as well. The claim has always been that he helped passed legislation that enabled the practicality of the Internet to take off, and considering the bill he probably can claim that. But of course, nuance gets lost in translation."  
__. "Welcome to the world." _Monokuma said. _"Please continue, Fujisaki."  
__. "Fuck you." _Fujisaki said._ "Anyway. Back to those first browsers, most of the really early ones, such as Line Mode Browser, ViolaWWW, Erwise, Midas WWW, and MacWWW, also known as Samba. All of them crowded out Nexus. But none would conquer quite like Mosaic was released, the UNIX-based browser easily beat out the other browsers that were already on the market."  
__. "So that's the browser a computer at Jurassic Park probably would have used." _Maizono said._ "Huh, how about that."  
__. "What?" _Kirigiri said, flatly.  
_. "You know, Jurassic Park was released in 1993. And at the end of a computer with a UNIX system becomes important."  
__. "Yeah, I've seen Jurassic Park." _Fujisaki said._ "So I guess that's right. Huh, how 'bout that."  
_. Leon was stunned._ "We're really bored, aren't we?"  
__. "Wait, so what about the browsers Mosaic took out." _Genocider said_. "What about them?"  
__. "So the losers to the Mosaic all have their attributes." _Fujisaki said.  
_. "I'll start with Line Mode. While Nexus worked on SERN computers, Line Mode would be written so that it could be used on X Windows Operating Systems, an OS that Nexus was unable to ported to. It could only display text. There were no images nor cursor functionality. Lee partnered up with Henrik Frystyk Nielsen and Nicola Pellow, two fellow members at SERN."  
__. " The first step is the one you believe in. The second one might be profound." _Ibuki commented.  
_. "Unlike Nexus, Line Mode was written in C. The first stable version came out in January 1992."  
__. "What does it say that we're younger than web browsers?" _Leon joked.  
_. "It says that we're truly living in the future."_ Maizono joked.  
_. "Line Mode was another cross-platform browser, capable of being used a multitude of computers such as Apollo computers and IBN RS6000. Eventually, it would be supplanted at SERN by ViolaWWW."  
__. "ViolaWWW?"_ Maizono asked.  
_. "Hey, where's Kirigiri?"_ Leon pointed out.  
_. "Forget it._" Ibuki's voice could be heard over the intercom. _"Fujisaki, continue explaining, our ratings are getting really good. People love character-driven exposition dumps."  
__. "Wow, the world must have really turned upside down."_ Fujisaki was hyper.  
. _"Come now, as long as either you or Naegi do something, morale is at an all-time high when it comes to the female fandom."_ Mahiru said.  
_. "Seriously? I don't know whether to be grateful or offended." _Leon said.  
_. "Genocider." _Togami said_. "Go find her."  
__. "Aye. Aye." _Genocider did as Togami asked.  
_. "Yeah, ViolaWWW." _Fujisaki continued._ "It was inspired by Hypercard, last updated in 1998. The Unix-based browser was meant for media development, publishing, and browsing. Which reminds me, last I checked its website is still up."  
__. "It's still up?" Leon said.  
__. "Yeah. I know." Fujisaki said. "After all this time, it's still waiting for people to find it. I imagine it doesn't get that many hits per year."  
__. "I'll say."  
__. "As for Erwise, the next one, I'm getting to that one."  
__. "You're really breezing through this topic." _Maizono said.  
_. "I'm just give a quick browse through them for you guys." _Fujisaki said.  
_. "It's almost like you're a professor."_ Togami said, continuing to humor the small programmer.  
_. "Erwise was a master degree project by college students. However, even with the support of Berners-Lee, none of them continued with the project because they lacked the proper funding, and like MidasWWW I can't find much about it."  
__. "Really?"  
__. "Yeah, it saw a smaller market and the last MacWWW had some odditites of its own. It shared a developer and some source code with Line Mode. It needed a mouse and MacOS support, otherwise it would be reduced a text mode browser. And another thing, it only opened a new window with a double-click. Actually, SERN released it as a commercial product for 50 European Currency Units."  
__. "Oh, right, mid-90s. Pre-Euro."_ Togami said. "_Smart of them making it the same amount of currency regardless of country. Although, I supposed one could have abused the exchange rates."  
__. "It was the mid-1990s. The amount of effort required was probably not worth the money saved." _Fujisaki said.  
_. "I suppose you're right._" Togami said._ "Although the thought of that amuses me."  
__. "Well, those are all the browsers Mosaic beat out. And the Netscape beat out Mosaic handily."  
__. "Netscape?"  
__. "Oh yeah. Actually it shared many developers with Mosaic, but was purposefully designed to not share any source code. At its peak, it had over ninety percent of the market, but it lost the first browser war to Mosaic's revenge."  
__. "Mosaic's revenge?_" Leon said. "_The browser came back?"  
__. "As Internet Explorer. I know about the punchlines about Internet Explorer, but at its release, Microsoft pulled a SEGA and packaged IE with their computers, allowing it to gain a large foothold on the market. Netscape would be acquired in a merger deal, but before it happened, its source code was released in order for development to be continued."  
__. "So has it been continued?" _Celeste asked, genuinely curious.  
_. "Oh yeah, it's called Firefox."  
__. "Firefox."_ Leon said, incredulously.  
_. "The names have changed, but it's still the same way. An ebb of high and low for each side. And as long as the Internet exists, neither Mosaic nor Netscape nor any of their derivatives will maintain a majority of the market. Of course, Chrome could bust it wide open."  
__. "Oh yeah."  
__. "It just keeps going."_ Fujisaki said. _"Two sides, locked in eternal combat."  
__. "Just like Hope and Despair!" _Monokuma shouted._  
__. "Oh, you're still here." _Celeste said, looking bored.  
_. "What's wrong? You don't like your headmaster?" _Monokuma looked dejected.  
_. "Aww, what's wrong? Can't handle not being a center of attention you diva." M_aizono said, with a forced smile.  
_. "That's rich, coming from you." _Monokuma replied.  
. Leon stared at Monokuma.  
_. "I found her on the second floor." _Genocider said, suddenly reappearing.  
_. "Alright, alright."  
__. "Togami, what is the meaning of this?"  
__. "Oh you know, Fujisaki is explaining the browser wars. We thought you might want to hear it." _Maizono's smile was forced.  
_. "Oh wow, you can feel the tension."_ Ibuki shouted.  
_. "Thanks for the commentary." _Mahiru said.  
_. "Browser Wars." _Fujisaki said.  
_. " You're still putting those energy drinks are still in your system. Even though it's been what? Three hours?"_ Celeste flatly stated  
_. "Yeah."  
_. The rest of the day was spent among themselves. Togami was in the headmaster's office. Genocider spent time tailing Togami. while Fujisaki spent time in the A/V Room. Right before nighttime, Kirigiri went into the cafeteria. Maizono was sitting there, eating a sandwich.  
. "Hey, Maizono?"  
. "Yes."  
. "Why is there a second sandwich?"  
. Maizono went quiet.  
. "Oh, right. Naegi."  
. Fujisaki was back in the A/V room next morning.  
. _"Damn, I wanted to follow up on that program. No dice."  
__. "What program?"  
__. "It seems this program got into this system. Most of the substance is encrypted."  
__. "What's the program called?"_ Maizono asked.  
. _"Amadeus."_ Fujisaki said.  
_. "'Amadeus'?_" Maizono said. _"Like the song 'Rock Me Amadeus'?"  
__. "Let me guess, you did a cover of it."  
__. "Yeah."  
__. " It is such a good song."_ Ibuki had returned as commentator. "_Don't worry, Leon. Mahiru is busy with something else. But don't worry, I can keep the viewers entertained."_  
. Maizono turned back to Fujisaki.  
_. "Wait, you built Alter Ego using a program that you knew little to nothing about."_  
_. "I can't edit the code, but I can run it. And read most of it."_ Fujisaki said.  
. _"Ultimate Programmer, huh."  
__. "Really, that's what bothering you."  
__. "Well, I mean."  
__. "Next thing you want to know is Alter Ego's battery life."  
__. "Yeah, now that you mention it. How DID Alter Ego's battery last that long? It's running super advanced software on a computer that probably isn't in the best of shape."  
__. "Don't worry about it. I had it covered." _Fujisaki said.  
. Togami was in the Headmaster's office.  
_. "Don't you know you're not supposed to be in the Headmaster's office?" _Monokuma appeared and asked indignantly. "_Students are not permitted to break locked doors."  
__. "But I didn't break it. Which means you're trying to create a restriction. Cats' out of the bag."  
__. "Stupid Alter Ego. Destroying the electronic lock. And here I thought nobody would get in after Oogami died."  
__. "Uh huh."  
__. "So you like in here, huh, Togami?"_ Monokuma asked. _"I can see it now, Headmaster Byakuya Togami, molding young minds into your perception of great individuals."  
__. "Trying to play on my ego?"  
__. "Too late for that."  
__. "Ah. Here we go. Class 77-B."  
__. "Wait, what? Is that what you were after?"  
__. "Partially. That and I'm sure they still have the files on Class 76."  
__. "You're pretty smart. Togami, I'll give you that."  
_. Togami flipped through the pages until he found the profile he was looking for.  
. First up, Ibuki Mioda: **Ultimate Light Music Player (Ultimate Musician).  
**. Former High School: Shiba Academy.  
. Height: 164 cm  
. Weight: 42 kg  
. BMI: 15.6  
. Blood Type: AB-.  
. Scouter: Koichi Kizakura  
. "_That's the same guy as the one who scouted me. They really are comprehensive"_ Togami thought to himself. And then brain stopped. _"Shit, shit, shit. Blood Type. Why didn't I think of that?"  
__. _Togami quickly grabbed Class 78's file. He looked at Kirigiri's blood type. It was B+. He took the page of Mukuro Ikusaba's file out of his pocket. It listed her blood type as B-.  
_. "If I had been smart enough, I would have gotten a blood sample, gotten some blood from the infirmary, gone to the chemistry lab, and mixed some of the corpse's blood with some B positive blood and some B negative blood. Our only two suspects for the victim were Kirigiri and Mukuro. If the corpse's blood rejected the positive blood, then that it would have meant the blood sample was B negative. Thus it would have been confirmed to be Mukuro."  
_. Togami was in disbelief that he didn't think about possibility of blood type testing, but he continued to read Ibuki's file. After releasing a hit single, she broke up with her band due to 'Creative Differences'. He read the notes sections from the scout, Kizakura.  
**. "Ever since I scouted her, Ibuki has gone to the beat of her own drum. Mioda has a tendency to elevate the moods of everyone around her. Her first semester has seen her spend many hours in the music room and her room has been converted into a de-facto recording studio. She loves experimentation, and despite her heavy metal repertoire cites the Beatles as her favorite band. As she put it, "the amount of creativity and innovation that they used while recording their music was decades ahead of its time, even more so, considering the fact that they had to deal with technical limitations. Even though she may be three years older, her dynamic with her classmate, the Ultimate Dancer, Hiyoko Saionji may lead to amazing results."  
**. After he finished reading it, "_Damn, I should have been smarter."  
__. "Smarter about what?" _Celeste asked.  
._ "Trial 5. We should have tested the corpse's blood type using the infirmary's blood as a base. Thanks to this page, we knew Mukuro's blood type."  
__. "And what if Kirigiri had also been B-negative? We didn't know both blood types at the time." Celeste flipped through the pages. "Do you even know how to test something like that? And by that logic, Asahina could have been up there. She was B negative as well. Blood type can only prove that it's not someone. Not that it IS someone."  
__. "Personal experience from one of your gambling runs?"  
__. "You could say that."  
_. Togami turned back to the files. Mahiru Koizumi's was up next.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: It's so nice to have my computer back. And to not have writer's block when it comes to setting up the next sequence of events.


End file.
